Sunil Gavaskar shares his verdict on Abhishek Sharma-Ishan Kishan run-out confusion during 1st T20I against England

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A dramatic run-out involving Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan grabbed plenty of attention during the first T20I between India and England at the Riverside Ground on Wednesday. The incident sparked widespread discussion among fans on social media, with many debating which batter should take the blame for the early wicket. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, however, offered a clear assessment of the dismissal while on commentary, ending the speculation with his verdict.

The incident took place early in India’s innings when Ishan attempted to steal a quick single after playing the ball. Abhishek, stationed at the non-striker’s end, immediately refused the run and was heard shouting, “Kya kar raha hai?” as he sent his partner back. By then, Kishan was too far down the pitch and was comfortably run out after facing just two deliveries.

As social media remained divided over which batter should take the blame, Gavaskar made his opinion clear during the live broadcast.

“You want to get off the mark as quickly as you can, especially in this format of the game. But it was not Abhishek Sharma’s fault. It was all, entirely, Ishan Kishan’s fault,” Gavaskar said on commentary.

The former India captain believed Kishan committed himself to the run without ensuring that his partner had responded positively, making it an avoidable dismissal rather than a communication error from both batters.

Also READ: Ishan Kishan overtakes teammate Abhishek Sharma as ICC announces latest T20I batter rankings

Despite the early setbacks, Abhishek responded brilliantly with the bat and played a stunning counter-attacking knock. The left-hander smashed 59 off just 24 deliveries, striking six fours and four sixes to put England’s bowlers under pressure.

Captain Shreyas Iyer anchored the innings with a composed 68 off 47 balls, while Shivam Dube provided the late flourish with an unbeaten 42 from just 21 deliveries. Their contributions helped India recover from the shaky start and post a competitive total of 189/7 in 20 overs.

England, however, never got the opportunity to begin their chase. Heavy rain arrived shortly after the innings break, forcing the players off the field before the first ball of the second innings could be bowled. The weather failed to improve despite a lengthy wait, and the umpires eventually called off the match, with both teams sharing the points after the opening T20I ended without a result.

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