Australia vs India 2018: Virat Kohli & Ravi Shastri's Roles Must be Assessed if India Don't Win Remaining Tests - Sunil Gavaskar
Published - 19 Dec 2018, 12:17 PM | Updated - 22 Aug 2024, 11:57 PM
Former Indian National Cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar has called for an assessment of roles of skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri if India fails to win the remaining two Tests against Australia Down Under.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli & Co went down in the Perth Test by 146 runs as Australia leveled the series at 1-1. India went in with four specialist pacers while Australia had spinner Nathan Lyon in their ranks, who eventually made the difference between the two sides. As a result, Sunil Gavaskar seemed infuriated with management’s selection process.
“We have been seeing this – the selection blunders that have been committed since the tour of South Africa. It has cost the team because it has lost matches which could’ve been won if the proper selection had been made,” Gavaskar said.
“They have to look at the combination of their team, look at the hole that needs to be plugged and pick the men too. 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 told Aaj Tak.
KL Rahul should immediately return to India
In addition to, Sunil Gavaskar questioned the decision to send 19 players to Australia for the Test series. The veteran feels it is crucial for those remaining players to play domestic cricket which will not only improve the standards but also provide them with match practice.
And according to Sunil Gavaskar, opener KL Rahul should be the first players to be sent back to India.
“He (Rahul) has no chance of playing in the remaining two Tests unless of course there is an injury to any player. I think that he should be coming back and playing Ranji Trophy for Karnataka. It is not just that he is out of form, he is just not there and you can see that. He can prove me wrong and I will be very happy to be proven wrong as long as the Indian team benefits,” he concluded.
