‘Team was without captain, vice-captain and coach for the first two days in Australia’- Sunil Gavaskar questions India’s plans in BGT

In the midst of the changes, the great Sunil Gavaskar advised everyone to concentrate on the white-ball assignments that are scheduled for the upcoming months rather than forgetting India’s recent Test match failures.

After Rohit Sharma and company’s elimination from contention for the World Test Championship (WTC) final due to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy fiasco, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is acting in a dramatic manner. When the players are on national duty, they have been asked to play domestic cricket. Rules have been put in place for players’ spouses and relatives.

“There is a dreary vibe about the remainder of the international season after two consecutive Test series losses, both of which were terrible. The spectators appear to have been affected by the same sense of listlessness that was observed on the pitch, and there isn’t the normal exhilaration that comes with the start of a new series’, Gavaskar said in a piece.

“In a situation like this, the first thing to decide is whether to focus on the near future or on the long term in order to bring Indian cricket back on track. Limited-overs cricket and the IPL will dominate the upcoming months. Test cricket’s shortcomings shouldn’t be obscured by white-ball performances. The five-Test match series against England starting in mid-June marks the start of the new cycle for the World Test Championship final, therefore they must also be addressed,” Gavaskar continued.

When the Indian team began their tour of Australia in November of last year, the former captain of India claimed that they were sending the incorrect message.

“We must avoid making the same mistakes that were made in Australia. Instead of travelling in four groups as was done in Australia, the team should arrive in England as a single unit. The team was missing its coach, vice-captain, and captain for the first two days in Australia.

What message does that provide to the home team? “What?” Sunil Gavaskar enquired.

“This is a team that hasn’t had a leadership group since they arrived, and they may be easily defeated with a few strong performances. The BCCI will undoubtedly prevent this from occurring in the future. The leaders must be the first to show that the team is prepared for fight, he continued. “Yes, the occasional player who is recuperating from an injury can join the team later.”

When India plays England in a five-match Test series in June, they will be playing the longest format again. The Indian team should play a number of warm-up matches before to this tour, Gavaskar advised.

Since India has not advanced to the WTC final, they have one more week to adjust by participating in several practice matches. After pitching, the ball will swing in the air and seam according to English conditions,” he added.

Regardless of how much practice one performs in the nets, knowing that a batter can continue to bat even after being out a few times does not constitute effective mental preparation. Even if the opposition in practice matches isn’t the best, the runs scored and wickets taken will greatly increase confidence.