Following India’s disheartening 10-wicket defeat to Australia in the second Test at Adelaide, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has voiced his disappointment and urged the team to make better use of their time. The match concluded in just two-and-a-half days, with Australia leveling the series 1-11. Gavaskar emphasized the need for the Indian team to utilize the two extra days for practice rather than resting in their hotel rooms.
SOURCE : ZEE
“Look at the remainder of the series as a three-match series. Forget it was a five-Test series2. What I would like this Indian team to do is use the next couple of days for practice,” Gavaskar told the official broadcaster2. “It’s very important. You can’t be sitting in your hotel room or wherever you’re going because you have come here to play cricket2. You don’t have to practice the whole day, but don’t waste these days. You would’ve been here playing a Test match if it went for five days2.”
Source:- bbc news
Gavaskar stressed that the responsibility of organizing additional practice sessions should rest with the captain and coach, not the players. “The optional practice should only be dependent on the captain and coach1. The coach can say, ‘Hey, you got 150 or you bowled 40 overs in the match, you don’t need to come to practice.’ They should be the ones giving the options, not the players1. If it is left to the players, they will certainly say, ‘No, I will be staying in my room.’ That’s not what Indian cricket is1. It’s an honour, privilege to be playing for India, and I counted the number of days they would be here; 57 days is what they will be here for. 25 days for five Tests, two days for PM’s XI match, so they got 30 days of off1. They got one extra day in Perth, they are getting two days here. So my request to them is to please come and practice1.”
Gavaskar’s comments come at a crucial time as India prepares for the third Test in Brisbane. The team’s performance in the second Test raised questions about their strategy, mindset, and adaptability in challenging conditions1. The batting lineup struggled, lasting just 81 overs across two innings, while the bowlers, despite Jasprit Bumrah’s efforts, received little support.
Gavaskar reminded the players that playing for India is a matter of pride and responsibility. “Indian cricket needs people who are totally dedicated to their cause1. It’s an honour and privilege to be playing for India. I counted the number of days they will be here1. It’s 57 days in Australia. Out of those 57, if you count out five matches, then you are left with 32 days, two matches for the PM XI1. Thirty days, they were going to get off. They had one extra day off in Perth, now two in Adelaide1. My request to them is to please come and practice.”
As the team gears up for the next match, Gavaskar’s words serve as a wake-up call for the players to regroup, reassess, and deliver the performances expected at the international level. The third Test, set to be played at The Gabba, Brisbane, on December 14, will be a crucial test of the team’s resilience and determination2.
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