During the 2023 World Cup match against Netherlands on Sunday (November 12), Shubman Gill, the opener for Team India, showcased his off-spin skills by bowling a couple of overs.
Despite his impactful half-century in the first innings, Gill couldn’t capitalize on it, losing his wicket soon after reaching the milestone. India secured a convincing 160-run victory over the Netherlands at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Shreyas Iyer (128*), KL Rahul (102), Rohit Sharma (61), and Virat Kohli (51) showcased stellar performances, driving India to a commanding total of 410/4 in 50 overs. In a challenging chase, Netherlands was bowled out for 250 in 47.5 overs, concluding their campaign on a disappointing note.
The second innings of the match provided excitement for viewers as Indian captain Rohit Sharma utilized part-time bowlers, including Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, and himself.
Gill, entering the attack in the 29th over, bowled two consecutive overs, conceding 11 runs with his off-spinners. You can view Gill’s bowling in the video below:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzjMPkkPH2C/?igshid=MW80Zm1oeW9mMjZncA==
“It is always good to have a few other options”- Rohit Sharma explained his choice to let Shubman Gill and others bowl against the Netherlands
After the match, Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, explained that he chose to let players like Shubman Gill bowl to test the team’s bowling strength. Rohit said:
“It is always something in our minds. When we have five options, it is always good to have a few other options. Today we had nine (bowling) options, it’s important, this was the game where we could have tried certain things.”
“The seamers bowling those wide yorkers when it was not needed, but we wanted to do that. As a bowling unit, we wanted to try doing something different and see what we can achieve.”
Sharma deployed a total of nine different bowlers against the Kiwis. The upcoming challenge for India is the first semi-final of the 2023 World Cup against New Zealand on Wednesday (November 15) at the Wankhede Stadium.
The Kiwis secured their spot in the last four by winning five out of their nine group-stage games.
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