'Never Forget These Commentators Are Loyal To Their Country': Sunil Gavaskar Cautions Media Ahead Of ODI World Cup

Sunil Gavaskar asserted that overseas commentators are loyal to their country, and will give advice to pick such a player who may not be needed.

Sunil Gavaskar asserted overseas commentators are loyal to their country, and will give advice to pick such a player who may not be needed.

Legend Sunil Gavaskar feels foreign commentators like Australia and England deliberately give wrong advice regarding Team India's playing 11 and team selection. The former Indian captain has urged the media not to consult foreign commentators on which player should be selected or not in the national team for ODI World Cup 2023. Gavaskar asserted that these overseas commentators are loyal to their country, and will give advice to pick such a player who may not be needed.

Sunil Gavaskar in his column for Mid-Day wrote, “Hopefully, our media won’t be going to overseas commentators asking who should be picked for India. Never forget that these commentators are loyal to their country and may actually suggest names that may not be what India needs.”

India’s squad for the ICC #CWC19 announced: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MSD (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Shami

— BCCI (@BCCI) April 15, 2019

Recalling the last world cup squad in 2019, Gavaskar wrote, “We saw what happened in the last World Cup where a newcomer’s name was pushed by the overseas commentators during that season’s IPL and he was eventually picked over a proven performer and India ended up hardly playing him in the XI.”

“Cricket being hugely popular, it is understandable that there has to be some cricket news or the other but it would be terrific if we don’t go around asking foreigners what our teams should be, because then the joke could well be on us, the Indian fans and it won’t be funny at all,” added Gavaskar.