‘This Has Hurt Indian Cricket the Most’-Sunil Gavaskar Slams India for ‘Optional’ practice sessions

As known India is all set to take on Pakistan in the opening match of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Melbourne on Sunday. Therefore the team was seen schooling at the MCG nets with some of the top players missing out on the action. Only a few including skipper Rohit Sharma were present alongside the likes of Dinesh Karthik and Axar Patel.

Well, it was another optional practice session for Team India where the players had the freedom to opt out of the net session. Meanwhile, Pakistan had a usual net session where all the players were seen in action.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, when asked about the difference in practice sessions between India and Pakistan, lashed out at the Indian team. He said players should not be having 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.

He also said that optional practice session has hurt Indian cricket. The coach and captain must not give liberty to every player to decide 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.