“Intra-Squad Is A Joke”: Sunil Gavaskar Rips Into Rohit Sharma-Led Indian Cricket Crew

Crew India’s humiliating 3-day loss within the first Check towards South Africa despatched shockwaves throughout the cricketing spectrum. A number of greats of the sport and pundits questioned the crew’s preapredness for the tour, with the legendary Sunil Gavaskar highlighting the absence of apply matches as one of many largest causes behind the outcome embarrasing outcome. Gavaskar even known as India’s intra-squad matches a ‘joke’ as he lambasted Rohit Sharma and the crew administration’s choice to not play First Class apply matches earlier than the beginning of the 2-match collection.

“The explanations are easy – you did not play any matches right here. In the event you straightaway play Check matches, it does not work out. Sure, you despatched the India A crew. The India A crew ought to truly come earlier than the tour,” he mentioned on Star Sports activities.

“You might want to play apply matches after coming right here. Intra-squad is a joke as a result of would your quick bowlers bowl extraordinarily quick to your batters, would they bowl bouncers, as they’d be scared about injuring their batters,” he mentioned.

The argument the crew administration usually provides behind the choice to not play First Class Exams is the distinction between apply pitches and match pitches. However, Gavaskar feels apply matches are essential, espeically for younger gamers to step as much as the problem.

“So it is higher to play towards the South Africa A crew or play two or three matches towards a county or a state. The schedule that’s made lately, the place you play solely Check matches with a spot of seven days in between – take away the ‘workload’ phrase from Indian cricket’s dictionary.”

“Nothing occurs to senior cricketers. They are going to play the second, third and fourth match even when they fail. Follow matches are essential for the younger gamers. If you need, you may ask your senior gamers to return comfy, they’ll come a day earlier than the Check match, however it’s worthwhile to prepare apply matches for the younger gamers,” he mentioned.