Last Update on: September 8th, 2023 at 01:06 pm
Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar expressed his frustration over Pakistani and Australian experts giving their opinions on India’s squad for the ODI World Cup 2023. Sunil Gavsakar criticized the media for giving them undue prominence in Indian team selection.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced a 15-member provisional squad for the marquee tournament. The selectors made two changes from their Asia Cup squad as Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna failed to make it into the World Cup squad.
Sadly Our Media Gives Them The Prominence – Sunil Gavaskar
Speaking to Sports Today, Sunil Gavaskar highlighted that foreign experts often make comparisons and claims of superiority to cater to their respective audiences.
“If you see the statements that come out from their side…sadly our media gives them the prominence. We have Pakistan players, and Australian players selecting Indian team. How is it their concern? Do any Indian players go and select the Australian or the Pakistan team? It’s none of our business. But we allow that.”
“From there it’s always Babar is better than Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma; Shaheen Afridi is better than so and so. Inzamam-ul-haq is better than Sachin Tendulkar. For them, they are always better than us. That is the way they have to cater to their audience,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Sports Today.
We Don’t Need Your Advice – Sunil Gavaskar
The 1983 World Cup winner highlighted that the advice from the foreign experts was unnecessary and unwarranted for the Indian cricket team.
“Don’t give them space in your papers. You have a South Africa saying a player should be in your team. You have an Australian saying. It happens too often. They say who should bat at no. 3 or no. 4. C’mon, we don’t need your advice,” he added.
India’s World Cup 2023 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav.