‘Lack of practice games hurt team’
NEW DELHI: Sunil Gavaskar says lack of serious practice ahead of the Birmingham Test hurt India dearly as batsmen’s poor technique against moving deliveries was exposed.
Gavaskar was livid with the fact that India played only eight days of competitive cricket (three ODIs and T20s against England and two vs Ireland). After the ODI series defeat, Indian team was given a five-day break and the players spent time in Europe.
“It was no preparation at all,” Gavaskar told a TV channel, referring to the three-day warm-up game.
“I can understand that you need to switch off after a series but that can’t be five days at a stretch. It can be three plus three day breaks between matches but not five days,” Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar was also critical of Indian team for changing an official first-class game into a glorified practice session in the name of warm-up game with 18 players taking part. “They should have played at least two three-day games, proper first-class games. Not 18 players but 11 players.”
GAVASKAR ON INVITE
Gavaskar added he will take the government’s advice before deciding on attending Imran Khan’s swearing-in as the next Prime Minister of Pakistan. He, along with Kapil Dev, have been invited to attend the ceremony of Imran, who led Pakistan to its maiden World Cup title in 1992.