Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disappointment and frustration over Team India’s underwhelming performance in the World Test Championship final against Australia. In a candid interview with Star Sports, Gavaskar criticized various aspects of India’s game and emphasized the need for self-reflection and improvement. The former captain highlighted the significance of analyzing and rectifying the team’s mistakes to succeed in crucial encounters against top-tier teams.
Gavaskar recalled his own experiences of being eliminated from tournaments and facing criticism, suggesting that the current team should not be exempt from scrutiny. He urged the players to undertake a thorough analysis of what went wrong, including their bowling, fielding, team selection, and overall approach. According to Gavaskar, simply dominating weaker teams in bilateral series, such as the West Indies, does not hold much value if the same mistakes are repeated when facing formidable opponents like Australia.
Expressing his concern, Gavaskar highlighted that India’s approach in the final was lacking. He criticized the team’s batting order, pointing out that poor shot selection, including that of former captain Virat Kohli, had a detrimental impact on their performance. Gavaskar specifically referred to Kohli’s dismissal on Scott Boland’s delivery on the final day, emphasizing that the Indian skipper succumbed to an ordinary shot, chasing personal milestones rather than playing a more controlled game.
Gavaskar stressed the importance of not brushing aside the defeat and instead using it as a learning opportunity. He encouraged the team to reflect on their shortcomings, work on rectifying them, and develop a stronger mindset to succeed in high-pressure situations. Gavaskar’s critique serves as a reminder to the Indian team that individual achievements and victories against weaker opponents are insufficient to claim ICC trophies. The focus should be on improving performance in crucial matches against top teams like Australia.
“You cannot brush this under the carpet like ‘yeah we have got two matches against West Indies’. West Indies are not the best team in the world. You just go and hammer them 2-0, 3-0, whatever the matches are. This doesn’t mean anything because when you come across and if you go to the finals and if you are playing Australia again, making the same mistakes, then how would you win the trophy?” he added.
‘My Relationship With Dhoni And Virat Kohli…’, Gautam Gambhir’s Bold Statement After The Verbal Fight In LSG vs RCB Game
Sunil Gavaskar’s strong criticism of Team India’s performance in the World Test Championship final reflects the disappointment felt by fans and cricket pundits across the country. The former captain’s remarks serve as a wake-up call for the team, urging them to analyze their mistakes and make necessary improvements. Gavaskar’s emphasis on avoiding complacency and developing a winning mindset in crucial encounters against top-tier teams resonates with the aspirations of Indian cricket fans who eagerly await a victorious campaign in future ICC tournaments.
