Gavaskar's Strong Words for BCCI Regarding Rohit Sharma's Australia Absence
4 days ago | 5 Views
Indian cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disapproval regarding the team's decision to travel without captain Rohit Sharma for the opening match of the Border-Gavaskar Test series last October. This decision was made following reports that the 37-year-old would miss the Perth match due to the birth of his second child. Despite facing criticism for his views, Gavaskar maintained his stance even after the conclusion of the Australia tour. In a recent column for Sportstar, he criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for permitting such a situation.
Rohit was absent for the series opener, during which Jasprit Bumrah captained the Indian team to their sole victory in an otherwise disappointing tour. The 37-year-old rejoined the squad prior to the second Test in Adelaide, but his performance was lacklustre, accumulating only 31 runs across five innings at an average of 6.2.
In his column, Gavaskar argued that the Indian team's arrival in Perth without their captain conveyed a message of vulnerability to the Australian side. He urged the BCCI to ensure that the entire team travels together for overseas tours.
"The errors made during the Australia tour must not be repeated. The team should arrive in England as a complete unit rather than in multiple groups, as was the case in Australia. For the initial two days in Australia, the team was without its captain, vice-captain, and coach. What impression does this create for the home team? It suggests a team lacking a leadership core, is easily susceptible to being overwhelmed by challenging performances. The BCCI must prevent this from occurring again. While it is acceptable for a player recovering from injury to join later, the leaders should be the first to arrive to demonstrate that the team is prepared for competition," he articulated.
The cap for India should be awarded without hesitation
The former captain of India advised the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, to reduce the number of players in the Test squad for the upcoming series in England this June, which will initiate a new cycle of the World Test Championship. Gavaskar expressed that a larger squad might indicate the selectors' uncertainty regarding their strategy for Australia and urged them to be judicious in awarding the esteemed India cap.
He noted that while it was somewhat justifiable to have a squad of approximately 20 players for Australia due to the challenges of travel and acclimatization to the local time zone, the situation in England is different. The transition from the hot Indian summer to the cooler English climate can be challenging, but having more than 16 players would suggest a lack of confidence from the selectors, which is concerning. He emphasized that the financial capability of the BCCI to send a larger contingent does not warrant the indiscriminate distribution of the India cap. He pointed out that the common issue faced overseas is the shortage of practice bowlers, and while it is acceptable to bring a few bowlers for training and equipment, they should not be awarded the India cap.
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