We watch sport for action. There is always a kind of climax. A good innngs leading to a thrilling finale. A great over, and a wicket, and the match can change. A superb catch which turns a game on its head and makes a telling impact on the outcome. And yet, there are matches which have none of these. No perfect fairytale and no real climax. Rather, what the first T20I against Afghanistan had was the perfect anticlimax. In any case, this is a C-list series that few really care about, sandwiched between the South Africa and England matches. A series to get done with. The selection of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had given it some context, and that’s what made for the anticlimax.
Once Afghanistan scored 158, there was some anticipation. How would Rohit approach the innings and what would he do? Could he bat in the same manner he did in the World Cup and make a statement about his T20 approach? Would he take risks upfront and give us an idea what India’s powerplay plan would be like going forward? Just as the fan was keen on finding some answers, it happened. Rohit danced down the track and hit the ball powerfully to mid-off. The fielder stopped it well, and to our horror we could see Shubman Gill continuing to watch the ball. He jumped out a step or two seeing Rohit running towards him, and then turned back and stationed himself in the crease. Rohit, on the other hand, kept running for it was his call. In that one instant, the match lost charm. The captain was out for zero in his comeback match, and it was the perfect anticlimax if there was one.
Rohit was understandably livid. A week from now, people won’t remember the run-out. No one will remember that Gill made a mistake and was ball-watching. What will be recorded is Rohit getting out for a duck in his comeback game. That’s where sport becomes cruel. Things don’t go to script and that ends up making things boring.
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IND vs AFG | 1st T20I: Post Match Discussion https://t.co/mipdoRLLB6
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) January 11, 2024
After the Rohit dismissal, the match just veered on. India won and there was not much to write home about, except that Shivam Dube made the most of his opportunity and proved the importance of all-rounders in the format. But as I said at the start, the context and the story were both lost. It ended up being a match without a headline. Yet another of those boring T20 contests that will soon be lost in a maze of too much cricket.
For the two remaining matches, all that most Indian fans want to see is how Kohli and Rohit fare. At what tempo will they bat and what approach will they bring to the table? A silly run-out has already dented the first game. Hopefully, there aren’t more such anticlimaxes in the next two games.
Two final points before I conclude. The first is how T20 cricket, despite being so fast-paced, can never match Test cricket in intensity. Even a maiden over in a Test can be all action. And a T20 match like the one on Thursday night is actually a pain to watch. Second, we need context for sport. Without it, it gets difficult to keep track. Rohit and Kohli are the only two people who can add context to this series. They can spice things up and generate debate. Had Rohit been out to anything but a run-out, we had a story. Had he scored, that would be the headline. The run-out made sure we had nothing, and it ended up being one of those totally irrelevant matches.
Also Read: Shivam Dube All-Round Show Seals Comfortable Win for India