WTC Final | India Should’ve Batted Better in Second Innings: Sunil Gavaskar After Batsmen’s Flop Show

New Delhi: Indian great Sunil Gavaskar reckons the Indian batsmen should have batted better in the second innings against New Zealand in the World Test Championship final. The Virat Kohli-led team was skittled out for a paltry score of 170 runs as they failed to get going.

India lost three wickets in the opening session of the Reserve day and scored 66 runs. The Indian team lost their skipper Virat Kohli in the first half-hour and it was the turning point of the match. Kohli was once again dismissed while facing Kyle Jamieson, who continued to trouble him by bowling in the corridor of uncertainty.

In fact, Rishabh Pant was the top-scorer for the Indian team with 41 runs whereas the highest alliance of the team was a meagre 37 runs in the second dig. Thus, none of the Indian batsmen was able to get going against the Kiwis pace attack. Moreover, none of the Indian batsmen was able to go past the 50-run mark in the first innings as they were bundled out for 217 runs.

Furthermore, the conditions were not that bad for batting as the sun was out on the final day but it was a disappointing batting effort from the Virat Kohli-led team. Tim Southee scalped four wickets whereas Trent Boult took three wickets for New Zealand.

“India should have batted better, the sun was out, there was not a prodigious movement but they were bowled out for 170,” Gavaskar said on commentary when the last India wicket fell in the post-lunch session.

Consequently, New Zealand required only 139 runs to win the inaugural World Test Championship title. The Kiwis are currently 92-2 and they need another 47 runs to clinch the coveted title. Thus, New Zealand is on the cusp of creating history as Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson are well settled.