As Indian cricket faces its darkest interval within the longest format, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes that it’s the preparations which might be the most important concern. This comes after the hammering India obtained by the hands of South Africa, thereby leading to one other house Check sequence whitewash below Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as India’s head coach.
Below Gambhir’s teaching spell, India suffered a 0-3 thrashing at house by New Zealand in 2024, adopted by the 0-2 defeat to South Africa in 2025. Gavaskar, talking to Rajdeep Sardesai in an unique interview with India At this time, highlighted how each these groups have ready a lot better than their Indian counterparts, which resulted in them getting accustomed to the situations.
“Greater than issues going badly mistaken from the Indian perspective, I feel it is the preparation of each these groups that must be lauded. New Zealand performed a sequence in Sri Lanka earlier than coming to India, and received used to the climate situations and the pitches. South Africa went to Pakistan in October earlier than they got here to India. Their A group was in India enjoying towards India A. A few of these gamers had been ready, who then got here into the Check matches. Their preparation was far more thorough than numerous different groups,” Gavaskar stated.
SCHEDULING CONCERNS?
The legendary Indian batsman steered that maybe the scheduling within the midst of all of the mufti-format cricket that’s being performed would must be reviewed. Gavaskar was vital of the ODI sequence towards Australia that came about Down Below proper after the house sequence towards the West Indies. He reckons that the sequence was not wanted in the intervening time, contemplating that the ODI World Cup was solely set to happen in 2027, however Gavaskar steered that with India being a giant marketplace for the game, the Males in Blue are usually in scorching demand all by way of the yr.
“That’s the means the market forces are. The market forces in the intervening time imply that India is a group that’s requested to in different nations nearly yearly as a result of that reinforces their TV income. See, final yr India performed 5 Check matches in Australia. And what occurred this yr once more? We went to Australia in the midst of our house season,” Gavaskar stated.
Gavaskar additionally known as for the Board of Management for Cricket in India to be Firmer with regard to touring away in the midst of their house season to make sure that the Indian group stays accustomed to the situations.
“I feel that’s the factor that India must be very robust about, that Australia would not go anyplace throughout their house season. India also needs to say to different groups, ‘Look, our season is extra essential. You need to play towards us, you come to India’. That’s what India must do. Taking part in the ODI sequence, or T20 sequence in Australia between he two Check sequence did not make any sense, however that was a bilateral association that needed to be adhered to,” he stated.
Now all the main target might be on white-ball cricket as we lead as much as the T20 World Cup 2026 in India. The Males in Blue might be again in motion for the three-match ODI sequence towards South Africa, adopted by a five-match T20I sequence as properly. India’s subsequent Check is assigned for August in 2026 and it stays to be seen if the administration can get a deal with on these urgent points to make sure that the Indian Check group will get again to dominating at house.
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