great indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar After India’s humiliating 76-run defeat against South Africa, he made a scathing attack on young batsman Tilak Verma. t20 world cup 2026 super 8 clash At Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Chasing the target of 188 runs, the defending champions were all out for 111 runs in 18.5 overs and suffered their biggest defeat in the history of the T20 World Cup.
“Disappointed with his approach”: Sunil Gavaskar questions Tilak Verma’s shot selection
Speaking on Star Sports after the match, Gavaskar minced no words when criticizing Tilak Verma’s careless outing. Coming in at No. 3 after Ishan Kishan was out for a duck in the very first over, Tilak made an ill-advised attempt at Marco Jensen, made room and tried to slap the ball to mid-off, but only got it to Quinton de Kock for 1 run.
“Yes, I think he has been a very street-smart batsman. I was a bit disappointed with his approach today because, look, one wicket had already fallen. Yes, the required rate was 9.5 runs per over, but it was not like you were chasing 15 runs per over.” Gavaskar said.
The former India captain stressed that Tilak should have shown more responsibility, especially with out-of-form Abhishek Sharma at the other end, who had been out for three consecutive ducks in the group stage.
“So you could have given yourself a little more time, especially because Abhishek Sharma did not score runs at the other end. So, the responsibility was on you to try to hang on with Abhishek and build partnerships, get through those six overs. With one wicket gone, you don’t need to reach 70. Even 55 would have been a good platform,” He added.
The dismissal of the left-handed batsman continued a disappointing campaign for him personally. In five matches in the T20 World Cup 2026, Tilak has managed only 107 runs at an average of 21.40 and a strike rate of 118.88 – well below his usual standards.
Before Sunday’s game, Tilak had scored 496 runs in 10 T20Is against the Proteas at an astonishing average of 70.85 and strike rate of 163.15, which included two centuries and two fifties. Those stats suggested a favorable match-up, but Sunday’s outing didn’t reflect that dominance.
India’s top order collapsed in the powerplay itself. After Kishan was out for a duck on the first ball and Tilak was out for 1 run, Abhishek Sharma He could only score 15 runs in 12 balls before Jensen’s knuckles fell on the ball. At 31 for 3 inside the powerplay, India’s chase was virtually all but over.
“They came with overconfidence”: Gavaskar on India’s batting approach against South Africa
Apart from Tilak’s dismissal, Gavaskar criticized the entire Indian batting unit for not learning how to structure its innings after South Africa were reduced to 20 for 3 inside four overs. David Miller (63 off 35) and Dewald Brewis (45 off 29) added 97 runs for the fourth wicket, playing intelligently on a difficult surface where the ball was not coming onto the bat quickly.
“When you look at how Dewald Brewis and David Miller repaired the South African innings, they played more shots in the V. When bouncers were bowled, they faced them intelligently because they realized that the ball was not coming to the bat quickly. After seeing how Brewis and Miller built their partnership, this was the approach the Indian batsmen needed.” Gavaskar saw.
“But India didn’t take South Africa’s innings into account. They came out and threw their bat at every ball, expecting a boundary. You don’t play T20 cricket like this. You have to learn from the opponent. If they have scored well on such a difficult surface, you have to get rid of your ego, observe and adjust. The Indian batsmen did not do that. They came in with overconfidence, threw their bat at everything and lost wickets. South Africa clearly outplayed India. “It was a big challenge for them and it was a well-deserved victory.” He added.
Gavaskar’s advice to struggling Abhishek Sharma
Gavaskar also analyzed Abhishek’s ongoing struggles, revealing how South Africa cleverly took advantage of his preference for space on the off-side.
“He was a bit trapped, and South Africa bowled very smartly. They know he likes to create space and play off-side. Look at Rabada – he kept targeting the pads, didn’t change his line even after getting hit for a six,” Gavaskar saw.
The 76-year-old advised Abhishek to focus on rotating the strike instead of hitting big shots. “They should not force themselves to play big shots across the line. Take a single and get off the mark. Even four dot balls don’t matter.” He advised.