“We don’t need players who are partly here and partly elsewhere,” Sunil Gavaskar takes a sly dig at Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has been struggling to perform in Test cricket with the bat for quite a long time and has faced significant criticism for it.
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Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli (Via X)
The Indian Test team is under huge pressure following their 3-1 series loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. They came into the series after getting whitewashed at home 3-0 against New Zealand. It was their first Test series defeat at home since 2012 and also the first whitewash suffered in a three-match Test series at home since they started playing this format.
After having qualified for the WTC final in the last two editions, the team has failed to qualify this time around. Most of the members of the playing XI did not perform, and the senior players, with the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, had a disastrous tour.
After the loss, former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has criticised the team selection and questioned the star culture in the set-up. Gavaskar has stated that Indian cricket should be the priority and the players should be fully committed to playing for the national team. He also felt that every player should be ready for every series unless there is a medical emergency.
I think the next 8–10 days are crucial for Indian cricket to take a good, honest look at itself. Most importantly, the star culture has to end. Total commitment to Indian cricket is non-negotiable. Players must make themselves available every single time unless there’s a genuine medical emergency. If someone isn’t fully committed, they shouldn’t be considered for selection.
Sunil Gavaskar said as quoted by Hindustan Times
Sunil Gavaskar also take a sly dig at Virat Kohli
Kohli has been in a poor run of form in Test cricket for quite a long time. He has just scored three centuries in the last five years in Test cricket. Moreover, he has not been part of domestic cricket for over 10 years, despite struggling in Test cricket for a long time. Meanwhile, he has left for London after a series is over, and this has prompted Gavaskar to take a sly dig at him.
Gavaskar stated that the BCCI and selectors should stop pampering star players or individuals. He also added that the team does not need players who aren’t always available. He felt that the Indian team should have qualified for the WTC final but did not do so because of the poor run of results.
We don’t need players who are partly here and partly elsewhere. It’s time to stop pampering anyone. The recent results have been disappointing—we should have been in the World Test Championship final but didn’t make it.
Sunil Gavaskar said.
Australia have qualified for the final to face off against South Africa at Lord’s Cricket Ground. They are also the defending champions after having beaten the India team in the WTC 2023 final.
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