Sydney, Jan 5 (NationPress) After India’s loss in the concluding Test match and their failure to hold onto the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, cricketing icon Sunil Gavaskar evaluated the team's performance. He expressed that young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Reddy, who are eager to earn recognition for India, are essential for the team.
Jaiswal has scored a total of 391 runs in five Test matches, with 161 runs coming from his outstanding second innings performance in the series opener in Perth, where India triumphed by 295 runs. However, he faced a brief challenging phase before achieving scores of 82 and 84 in the Melbourne Test.
On the flip side, Reddy accumulated 298 runs in nine innings across five matches. He began his career with notable scores of 41 and an unbeaten 38 on his Test debut. He then added 42 and another 42 before surpassing those figures with a maiden Test century in Melbourne, delivering a vital contribution from the lower order.
"If we consider the broader perspective, as seen with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Yashasvi Jaiswal - they are hungry. They are eager to make a name for India. They want to establish their identity. Such players are necessary. You need players who will defend their wicket as if it were their life. You can play aggressively with them. But the commitment I wish to observe is vital.
"That’s why I’m particularly interested in seeing who participates in the Ranji Trophy matches on January 23. I want to observe that. At that time, there will be T20 matches against England. But for those who are not engaged in T20, will they participate in the Ranji Trophy or not?" Gavaskar remarked to Star Sports.
Further discussing India’s batting issues in the series, Gavaskar pointed out, "How many Indian players have achieved centuries? Aside from the first Test match with two centuries, there exists only the century from Nitish Kumar Reddy. How many players managed half-centuries?
"While it can be said that scoring a century is challenging, how many players have made half-centuries and attempted to alter the match’s outcome? This did not occur due to the lack of application and determination required in Test cricket.
India’s defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series followed a 3-0 loss in the home series against New Zealand. The veteran shared insights on what Team India should do following their recent poor showings in Test matches.
"What I observed were technical flaws. If you consistently make the same errors, and I’m not merely referring to this series—I’m also discussing the New Zealand series—what did you accomplish against New Zealand in India? Consequently, as the next cycle commences in June, and we have not qualified for the World Test Championship, we must prepare for it. If tough decisions are necessary, we must make them," he stated.
Gavaskar further emphasized that players should not have any excuses for avoiding domestic cricket, noting that the Ranji Trophy matches commence on January 23. He added that coach Gautam Gambhir will need to make some difficult decisions regarding players who are unavailable for the tournament.
"Today is January 5. On January 23, the next round of the Ranji Trophy occurs. Let’s see how many players from this squad participate. Let’s examine the availability of players. There should be no excuses for being unable to play.
"If you do not participate in those matches, then I assert that Gautam Gambhir will need to take some tough actions against those who are unavailable for the Ranji Trophy, stating, ‘You lack commitment. We need commitment. You are not participating. Whatever you decide to do, do it. However, for Indian cricket, you cannot return to the Test squad," he concluded.
India's next series will feature three ODIs and five T20Is against England at home from January 22 to February 12.
