Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his concerns regarding the prevailing star culture within the Indian cricket team. His remarks followed the team's disappointing 1-3 series loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The Australian team, led by Pat Cummins, secured victory in the Sydney Test by six wickets, thereby clinching the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.

The five-match series against Australia revealed significant shortcomings in Team India's performance. Aside from Jasprit Bumrah, no other player stepped up to navigate the team through challenging situations. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli underperformed with the bat, raising questions about their future roles within the squad.

Rohit Sharma opted out of the Sydney Test, with Bumrah taking over the captaincy. Although Virat Kohli scored a century in Perth, he failed to accumulate more than 200 runs throughout the 2024-25 series against Australia, frequently falling victim to wide deliveries.

Gavaskar emphasized the necessity for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to uphold its principles and eliminate the star culture. He advocates for players who demonstrate unwavering commitment to Indian cricket to be afforded greater opportunities.

“I believe the next 8–10 days are critical for Indian cricket to engage in a thorough and honest self-assessment. Most importantly, the star culture must be dismantled. A total commitment to Indian cricket is essential and non-negotiable. Players should be available for selection at all times unless faced with a legitimate medical emergency. Those who lack full commitment should not be considered for the team,” Gavaskar stated.

'Don't need players who are partly here and partly elsewhere'

Gavaskar expressed his views candidly, stating that the moment has arrived to cease indulging players. He urged the Indian cricket board to transition from being mere "admirers" to focusing on the future of the sport within the nation.

Following the series defeat against Australia, India has failed to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the first time. The championship match will take place between Australia and South Africa at Lord's Cricket Ground from June 11-16.

"We do not require players who are only partially committed. It is essential to stop coddling anyone. The recent outcomes have been unsatisfactory—we should have reached the World Test Championship final, but we did not," Gavaskar remarked.

"The cricket board must refrain from behaving like admirers and take a firm stance. They need to communicate to the players that the priority is Indian cricket. It is a matter of full dedication to Indian cricket or pursuing other interests—you cannot have both. If your priority is Indian cricket, only then should you be considered for selection," he further stated.

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