Sunil Gavaskar's Column Finds A Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane Mention After India's 3-0 Embarrassment Against Kiwis

Sunil Gavaskar questioned India's 'attacking mindset' after the team's 3-0 defeat to New Zealand in the home Test series.

Gavaskar said that India's attacking mindset was the reason why the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are no longer part of the Indian test squad.

Source : PTI

Sunil Gavaskar was one of the commentators during Team India's recent home Test series against New Zealand. The Men in Blue went on to lose their first Test series in 12 years while also succumbing to being clean swept at home for the first time in a Test involving three or more Test matches. Following Team India's defeat, Gavaskar has expressed his views on the team's performance. He was critical of some of the Indian batters trying to hit their way out of trouble.

Gavaskar said that this mindset was the reason why the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are no longer part of the Indian test squad. While Rahane last played a Test in July 2023, Pujara last donned the Indian Test jersey in June 2023.

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"The real issue is the thinking where again the short boundaries and big bats mean that batters, after playing three or four dot balls, think they can change the momentum by going for a big shot," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.

"It may work with the white ball, which doesn’t swing, seam or spin as much, but with the red ball, it’s flirting with danger, especially if one has just come in to bat," he added.

Now There’s This Business Of Belting The Ball Like England Batters Are Doing

Gavaskar pointed out that Test cricket needs patience and batters sometimes will need to dig it out deep to come out on top.

"Test cricket requires some patience, especially on pitches where the bowlers are getting some assistance, but not many modern batters believe in that. Then there’s this new thinking that, come what may, we will play only at breakneck speed in a five-day game, and that means there is not much thought given to tiring the bowler out or waiting for conditions to improve," said Gavaskar.

"That’s why Pujaras and Rahanes have no place in the Indian team’s plans. Pujara wore down the Australian attack, as did Rahane, and so the stroke-makers could take advantage of a tired attack and flog it and make up for a slow but watchful start. That kind of thinking is not there. Now there’s this business of belting the ball like England batters are doing and losing badly overseas," he added.