'Frustrated' Shubman Gill refuses to meet schoolkids after toiling for 200 overs on field

New Delhi: Gautam Gambhir had to come out of the dressing room to fulfil the wishes of a few schoolkids who had reached the Arun Jaitley Stadium here from Muradnagar, UP, in the hope of meeting India skipper Shubman Gill and presenting him with a painting in a mix of Mandala and Madhubani art forms. The painting's message was a united India represented by various monuments and a motif.

Gill, according to what was told to the young artists, was upset after a day that was full of toil for India as West Indies finally showed some gumption and grit.  

Gill can be excused for not wanting to meet the kids even otherwise as an Indian captain can’t be expected to oblige schoolkids, not part of BCCI initiative, and click pictures with them considering the financial value that is attached to modern-day cricketers. But a cricketer of yesteryear could well have obliged and made the kids smile.

Anyway, the kids went home happy and while Gambhir walked away with the painting, they asked him to give it to Gill.

Gautam Gambhir accepts painting from schoolkids

The India skipper had every reason to be morose. He had thought, after declaring at 518/5 and bundling out the Caribbeans for 248, that it will be a walk in the park and they will win the game by the end of the third day or at the most, fourth day morning.   

But he had overestimated his bowling attack and his main weapon Jasprit Bumrah, who can be used only sparingly. Plus there was this odd decision of not bowling Nitish Kumar Reddy. Perhaps the pitch was flat and he knew that if his much celebrated bowling attack can’t do anything on it, what can the poor innocuous Reddy do.

West Indies, resuming at 173/2 reached 200 without any loss of wicket, with opener John Campbell reaching his maiden Test ton in his 24th Test with a six. Imagine, Campbell hadn’t scored a ton in his 23 previous Tests and chose India, among the toughest places to bat, for it.  

He was dismissed soon after reaching his hundred, leg before the wicket to Jadeja. But India’s struggles continued.

Shai Hope (103), who also scored a century, and Roston Chase added 59 for the fourth wicket and West Indies cleared the deficit.

It was the satisfaction of wiping out the target that madce them complacent after that. Hope missed the line to a Mohammed Siraj ball that moved in a bit. Tevin Imlach was leg-before to Kuldeep Yadav while all-rounders skipper Chase (40 off 72 balls) and Khary Pierre (0) threw their wickets away when the need of the hour was stay put.

With seven down, it was easy pickings for Bumrah, who was expected to mop up the rest.

Bumrah bowled Jomel Warrican with a ball that moved out a bit and then had Anderson Phillip feathering one to the wicketkeeper.

From 293/4, West Indies were reduced to 311/9. It was mostly their doing as the Indian bowlers looked pathetic.

The Indian team was celebrating as if they’d finish it off on Monday itself and put their feet up on Tuesday before many of them departing for Australia on Wednesday.

There were wide smiles and chests were pumped up. But then the last pair needled the host team and their chests collapsed as the air fizzled out.

Number 7 Justin Greaves scored an unbeaten 50 off 85 balls and added valuable 79 for the last wicket with No. 11 Jayden Seales (32 off 67 balls). The duo frustrated the Indians for exactly 22 overs and it was only a freak dismissal of a poor Bumrah ball on the legs that ended their stay. The No. 11 Seales, who was making bowling look innocuous, flicked one on his legs and was caught at deep mid-wicket giving Bumrah another wicket.

Bumrah finished with 3/44 in 17.5 and Kuldeep ended with 3/104.

The Indians were on the field for 200.4 overs consecutively across two innings and no wonder they looked beaten and buried. A flat surface had exposed each one of them.

India were 63/1 at stumps, chasing 121. They will likely achieve the target in the first session.

Tags : Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir, John Campbell, Shai Hope, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah