Sunil Gavaskar Slams Nasser Hussain After Ex-England Captain Said 'Ganguly Made Indian Cricket Tough'

Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has slammed former England captain Nasser Hussain for his recent comments regarding Team India. Hussain, on a recent television show, stated that the Indian team got tougher when Sourav Ganguly captained them.

The former English cricketer-turned-commentator said Ganguly played an important part in transforming India into a feisty side that is now feared by teams adding that that aggression came to him, and current Indian captain Virat Kohli, naturally.

“Indian teams were incredibly talented but I always found playing the Indian team before Sourav, they were a sort of nice. Very friendly. You respected them but weren’t scared of them. Sourav made that side a tough, feisty side,” Hussain had said while speaking on Sony Sports’ interview show titled ‘Pit Stop’.

Sunil Gavaskar unimpressed:

However, Sunil Gavaskar is not at all impressed with Hussain comments. The legendary batsman stated that the players mistook Team India’s niceness as weakness. He was also quick to question Hussain’s knowledge of Team India of 70s and 80s as he slammed the former England cricketer for his comments.

“Nasser went on to say that earlier, the team would be wishing the opposition good morning and smiling at them etc. See this perception: That if you are nice then you are weak. That unless you are in the face of the opposition, you are not tough. Is he suggesting that Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh to name just a few were not tough? That just because they went about their business without any chest-thumping, swearing, screaming and pumping their arms in obscene gestures, they were weak?,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for mid-day.

“And what does he know of toughness of the teams in the ’70s and ’80s which won overseas as well as at home to make that statement? Yes, Ganguly was a top captain, taking over the reins at a most delicate time in Indian cricket, but to say that earlier teams were not tough is nonsense,” he added.

He also expressed his displeasure over no one challenging Hussain’s view during the TV show.

“It’s about time the TV guys stopped using head-nodders when aspersions are cast on our cricket history and use people who will stand up and counter this bullying which actually consolidates the perception that we are too nice and therefore not tough,” remarked the batting legend.

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