Australia vs India 2018: Sunil Gavaskar Questions Team Management Decisions

Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has raised questions on the decision of the Indian team management. The Little Master said if India doesn’t win the series, the team needs to think what needs to change. The Indian team led by Virat Kohli has taken some peculiar decision in the recent past. The most recent mistake they made was in the second Test match when they went with Umesh Yadav in the playing XI.

In fact, many cricket experts thought that playing Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Ravindra Jadeja in the final XI would have been more beneficial for the tourists. However, it wasn’t to be the case as Kohli thought that all-out pace attack will do the job for his team.

Gavaskar lashes out at the Indian think tank.

“We will know that [the difference between Kohli as captain and batsman] as we go forward. The Australia series is a good opportunity. If India doesn’t win the Test series, then we need to think what needs to change, change from the top. If we win, then it’s a different case, altogether,” Gavaskar said at Agenda Aaj Tak in New Delhi.

Gavaskar said the think tank decisions will need to be questioned. Kohli had dropped Ajinkya Rahane in the first two Test match against South Africa. Furthermore, Kohli played Kuldeep Yadav in the second Test match at Lord’s where the track was a seamer paradise. Thus, India hasn’t shown the guile in reading the pitch conditions.

“Because of the decision to field first in the Champions Trophy final, the omissions and selections in South Africa, the omissions and selections in England, and the selections and omissions in Australia. Someone has to take responsibility for all these decisions. Someone has to be held accountable,” he added.

Sunil Gavaskar believes India need to get their combination right in the third Test match at Melbourne. Gavaskar believes India is favourites in the absence of Steven Smith and David Warner.

“They have to look at the combination of their team, look at the hole that needs to be plugged and pick the men to. If they do that then they can certainly win the next two matches but if they don’t, and that too against this Australian team which does not have Steve Smith or David Warner, then the selectors need to think whether we are getting any benefit from this lot – the captain, coach and support staff,” Gavaskar said.

The third Test match will take place at Melbourne from December 26.