"It was playing on his mind that he won't get too many opportunities" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill's knock

Aakash Chopra reckons Shubman Gill was circumspect in the third T20I between India and Sri Lanka as he didn't want to fritter away another opportunity after his cheap dismissals in the first two games.

Gill scored a 36-ball 46 as the Men in Blue set a mammoth 229-run target for the Lankan Lions in Rajkot on Saturday, January 7. Their bowlers then bowled out the visitors for 137 to register an emphatic 91-run win.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was all praise for Suryakumar Yadav for scoring a blazing century and spoke about the knocks played by some of the other Indian batters. Regarding Gill, he said:

"Shubman Gill - if you are going at a run a ball for 35-odd balls, when you have won the toss and chosen to bat and Hardik Pandya and other batters are yet to come, you feel you should hit a little. He did not do that. I think it was playing on his mind that he won't get too many opportunities."

The former Indian opener feels Suryakumar playing an enterprising knock at the other end helped Gill's cause, observing:

"He had already frittered away two and needed to make the most of it. Therefore he took his time, missed his half-century, but played a decent knock. I feel wherever he reached was also because of Surya."

Chopra highlighted that Ishan Kishan proved to be a letdown after playing a decent knock in the first game, elaborating:

"Ishan Kishan got out at the start. It is a slight cause for concern because the first match was good but the second and third, it became a middling sort of series for him. It seemed it will be good but it was not that good."

Kishan gave India a blazing start in the first T20I against Sri Lanka and eventually scored 37 runs off 29 balls. However, he managed a total of three runs in his last two innings and was found slightly wanting against swing and seam.

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"He was given an important spot" - Aakash Chopra on Rahul Tripathi batting at No. 3

Rahul Tripathi took the attack to the Sri Lankan bowlers right from the outset. [P/C: BCCI]

Chopra praised the Indian team management for giving Rahul Tripathi the best chance to showcase his potential, explaining:

"Rahul Tripathi was playing at No. 3. He was given an important spot, Suryakumar Yadav was pushed to No. 4. It is a huge endorsement that they are not only playing him but want him to do well, so they are giving him a good number."

Chopra lauded the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) player for playing a selfless knock, stating:

"The guy batted extremely well. They were extremely beautiful runs. I like this player a lot because this guy doesn't have a selfish bone in his body. Some players touch your heart even though you might not know them. You get a selfless sort of vibe from him and Mayank Agarwal. You feel good when he does well."

Tripathi smashed 35 runs off just 16 balls, a knock studded with five overs and two sixes. He was the aggressor in the 49-run second-wicket partnership with Gill, who was content to give him the strike.