"No Smog...": Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri Roast Harry Brook After Varun Chakravarthy Scalps England Star
Harry Brook Smog comment Roasted by Shastri, Gavaskar as India Bowl First in 2nd T20I vs England
Brook Blames Kolkata Smog for Struggles vs Varun Chakravarthy
England’s Harry Brook stirred controversy ahead of the 2nd T20I in Chennai, blaming Kolkata’s smog for his struggles against Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy in the series opener. “With the smog the other night, it was a lot harder to pick the ball. Hopefully, the air is clearer here,” Brook said. The remark drew instant backlash from cricket legends.
Shastri, Gavaskar’s Savage Replies Go Viral
Former India coach Ravi Shastri trolled Brook ahead of the match:
“Good news for Harry Brook: There’s no smog here.”
The banter escalated when Brook fell to Chakravarthy again in Chennai. Commentator Sunil Gavaskar quipped:
“Light is clearer here. There’s no smog.”
India Opt to Bowl First at Chepauk Amid Squad Shakeups
Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, aiming to extend India’s dominance after their 7-wicket win in Kolkata. The match marks Chennai’s first T20I since 2018. Key changes:
- England: Debutants Jamie Smith & Brydon Carse replace ill Jacob Bethell and Gus Atkinson.
- India: Rinku Singh (back spasm) and Nitish Reddy (side strain) ruled out; Washington Sundar & Dhruv Jurel included.
Captain’s Corner: SKY & Buttler’s Strategies
Suryakumar Yadav said:
“We’ll bowl first. The track looks good, and fielding will be key. Rinku might miss 1-2 games.”
Jos Buttler echoed similar plans:
“We’d have bowled too. Need to execute better.”
Playing XIs: Debutants & Key Absences
India
- Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy
England
- Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Will Chennai’s Clear Skies Favor India’s Spin Attack?
With no smog excuses left, all eyes are on Brook’s redemption bid and Chakravarthy’s spin magic. Can India seal the series 2-0? Share your predictions!