Aakash Chopra has stated that Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill missing hundreds was insignificant because their runs helped India clinch a comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka in the 2023 World Cup.
Gill and Kohli each struck 92 runs as the Men in Blue set the Lankan Lions a 358-run mark in Mumbai on Thursday. The hosts then swept out Kusal Mendis and company for a meagre 55 to conclude a comfortable 302-run victory and secure a spot in the semifinals.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel on India’s batting, Chopra stated that Gill and Kohli falling short of their individual hundreds shouldn’t matter. He went on to say:
“Rohit (Sharma) got out at the start. It was an important game for Shubman because he has an average of eight on this ground if we see the IPL. He did miss a century but batted extremely well until he batted.”
“Virat Kohli was there alongside him. Luck did favor both of them at the start. Virat Kohli was chasing another milestone but he didn’t get it. Both of them reached close to a hundred but couldn’t score it. It would have been good if it had been scored but what difference does it make?”
Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra emphasised that impactful performances are more crucial for the team than milestones are.
“I feel it’s not a good thing if you have an obsession with milestones. Scoring runs for the team is important. If you score eight extra runs, of course the team also scores those eight extra runs, but even if you get out, 92 is a very good contribution for the team.”
Aakash Chopra
India lost Rohit Sharma off the first ball of their innings. Gill and Kohli then put on 189 runs for the second wicket to set the stage for a massive total.
“Shreyas Iyer played the best knock of the match” – Aakash Chopra
Shreyas Iyer was applauded by Aakash Chopra for his aggressive knock under pressure. He stated:
“Shreyas Iyer played the best knock of the match. There was a lot of pressure on him. So he responded beautifully under pressure, batted in an extremely attacking fashion. He showed that the bowling and pitch are the same and if you change your intent slightly, you can hit sixes. He hit a 106-meter six.”
Aakash Chopra
During his 82-run innings, Shreyas hit three fours and six sixes. After India were reduced to 276/5 after Suryakumar Yadav was bowled cheaply, he scored 57 runs for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (35 off 24).
