'You Don't Know Whether to go Forward or Back': Gautam Gambhir Slams Virat Kohli For 'Nothing Shot' vs Shaheen Afridi

Virat Kohli’s innings against Pakistan in India’s Asia Cup 2023 opener on Saturday started with a bang as he unfurled a gorgeous cover drive off the bowling of Naseem Shah to open his account. That was a promising start and considering the manner in which Pakistan pacers resumed after the rain break in Pallekle, that would have eased some nerves in the Indian camp.

Shaheen Afridi though was breathing fire. Having knocked over Rohit Sharma beautifully, the left-arm pacer went on to account for the wicket of Kohli as well, having him bowled for four to land early jolts.

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While Rohit’s dismissal was well executed with Afridi taking two deliveries away from the India captain and then the third came in and sneaked through the defenses to crash onto the stumps. Rohit made 11.

However, Kohli was majorly responsible for his early exit after trying to dab one from outside off to the third man region for a single or two but instead, an inside edge resulted in the ball being directed onto the stumps.

It divided opinions among the commentators who were on air when Afridi landed the big blow.

While Waqar Younis and Matthew Hayden were sympathetic to Kohli, terming him as ‘unlucky’, Gambhir criticised his former India teammate for being ‘a bit casual’.

“That was a nothing shot, neither forward, neither back. I think was a bit casual. That’s what you get when you play someone like Shaheen Afridi. You don’t know whether to go forward or back,” Gambhir said on Star Sports.

Pakistan legend Waqar while credited Afridi for changing altering his length after the rain break but did say the ball may have kept a bit low that Kohli would have anticipated.

“Kohli was a touch unlucky. Inside edge, the ball didn’t come on to bat and maybe even kept a bit low. But credit to Shaheen Shah Afridi for altering his length,” he said.

Hayden chimed in, “Yeah, inside edge onto the stumps, could have got anywhere.”

India were in a spot of bother at 66/4 before Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan put on a rescue act with a century stand to help their team with a decent total.

Pandya top-scored with 87 while Ishan made 82 as India were bowled out for 266.