IND vs PAK: "I Don’t Agree With, When You Have Had Your Match Washed Out"- Former Indian Captain Sunil Gavaskar Lashes Out At Men In Blue For Optional Practice Sessions

Team India will enter the mega tournament as one of the top contenders with a strong and balanced squad. India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening encounter of the ICC T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne on Sunday, October 23.

The team was spotted practising at the MCG nets and some key players missed the training sessions. Only a few players, including skipper Rohit Sharma, along with Dinesh Karthik and Axar Patel, were present. In fact, it was another optional practice session for Team India, and players could opt out of the net session. Pakistan, on the other hand, had a regular net session, and all the players were seen in action.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at the Men in Blue when asked about the contrast in practice sessions between India and Pakistan. He noted that players should not have an optional practice session, especially when you have not played any cricket at all.

“It’s something, I don’t agree with. At the start of the tournament when you have had your match washed out (warm-up vs New Zealand), when you have not played any cricket at all. You have come to Melbourne and you have had a day off and the next day, you opt not to practice. You want to get a rhythm going as a team. You want to see a sense of purpose,” Gavaskar told Sports Today.

Captain Can Give You Rest You Have Had A Niggle – Sunil Gavaskar

He added that optional practice sessions have hurt Indian cricket, and the coach and captain must not allow each player to choose for themselves when it comes to net practice.

“Now, giving that option is something that the captain and coach should be doing. Like suppose you have batted and scored a hundred. Or let’s say you have had a niggle then the captain can give you the option to rest.”

“Giving the players options means you will never have the players coming. As we have seen and how many times it has affected Indian cricket. You look at the results over the years…at the start of the tournament?.”

“In the middle of the tournament, yes you have done well, give everybody a break. Let them go to a cinema and let them take their minds off cricket. But at the start of the tournament?” he said.

Rohit Sharma has been the centre of attention in India’s practice sessions. The experienced opener batted against left-arm seamers, trying to bat as straight as possible. In the previous edition, he dismissed Shaheen Shah Afridi for a golden duck.

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