Sunil Gavaskar Bats for Inclusion of Kuldeep and Chahal in the Longest Format in Future Overseas Tours

Team India won the 6th ODI at the Supersport Park in Centurion by 8 wickets.

India took an unassailable 5-1 lead in the 6 match series. However, the result in the Test series wasn’t quite the same as the hosts completed a 2-1 series victory.

Former Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar has highlighted the fact that what the team really needs to do to draw better results in their upcoming overseas tours especially in the longest format of the game.

Gavaskar feels that the inclusion of the wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav might well bring about success in the upcoming foreign tours for India.

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In his column for the Times of India, Gavaskar wrote that it is the results in the longest format that actually counts as far as success on a tour is concerned.

So he feels that keeping that in mind India should start preparing for their tour of England and Australia from now.

“When the Indian team left for South Africa, there was every hope that this would be the first Indian team to win all three series and return home victorious. That didn’t quite happen, as despite being in the game for three innings of the first two Tests, their batting faltered in the fourth innings and lost both those Tests, and with it, the chance to win the series.”

“Their spirited performance on a difficult pitch in the third Test showed that the Indians had got used to the pace and bounce of the South African pitches and their bowlers, in particular, bowled spectacularly to bowl them to a terrific win. What this does show is the importance of having some practice games before the Tests start,” Gavaskar wrote in his column.

Unlike the tour of South Africa which started with the Tests, India will start off with ODI’s in England and the longest format later. It will definitely allow India to get used to the conditions before the start of the Test series.

“The tour to England starts with the One-day series, so the Indians will have almost a month before the Tests start.

Let’s face it, even today, despite the onslaught of T20 and ODIs, it’s the Test results that really matter, so the month in England should be pretty handy as far as getting used to the conditions is concerned.

For Australia though the planning has to be done now and a couple of proper First Class matches must be organised before the first Test which will give the team some sort of a start, else like here in South Africa, it will be a case of missed opportunities,” Gavaskar wrote in his column.

Morale Boosting victory for India

Gavaskar stated that it was the morale-boosting victory in the 3rd and the final Test in Johannesburg which gave India the required the confidence for the limited overs format.

“With that win in the third Test as the morale-booster, the Indians have simply pulverised the South African side in the One-dayers. Their top batsmen have batted for more than 30 overs in every game and the top three have all got a hundred,” Gavaskar said.

The wrist spinners have been quite incredible in the series so far. Gavaskar attributed their success as the biggest takeaways for India from the series.

Gavaskar is finding no reason that why the wrist spinning duo won’t be successful in the longest format of the game.

“The most exciting part of the win has been the bowling of the two wrist spinners. They have outfoxed the Proteas batsmen, who even after five games, aren’t sure which way the ball will turn. Kuldeep Yadav has already played Tests and showed how effective he can be in the longer format. Jasprit Bumrah has made the change from white ball to red ball impressively and there is no reason why Yuzuvendra Chahal also won’t make that transition and win Test matches for India with his wrist spin,” Gavaskar concluded.

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