Fans are incensed over India’s most recent Test loss, and legend Sunil Gavaskar ripped into the team’s strategy.
The former captain didn’t hold back when it came to criticising poor preparation, missed selections, and a growing lack of discipline in the longest format of the game.
His candid remarks reflected deep concern about the direction the team was heading. In typical Gavaskar fashion, every word was powerful, underscoring the seriousness of his critique and highlighting the urgency for improvement within the team.
Well, that’s not all. In this blog post, we will discuss this entire scenario and provide valuable insights to our readers.
Let’s begin!
Key Takeaways
- Understanding how the structure works
- Looking at the defeat that lit the fuse
- Decoding the need for specialists
- Exploring why young talents are falling due to a lack of experience
- Discovering Gavaskar’s fix
While Gavaskar raged about India’s chaotic Test prep, he pointed out how proper structure makes all the difference. Even outside cricket, a regulated online betting app in Nepal shows how things thrive when there’s organisation, transparency and rules that everyone sticks to. His message was simple: if an app can get its systems right, why can’t a top Test side?
Interesting Facts
Gavaskar’s strong comments have now become a central talking point in Indian cricket, forcing the Ajit Agarkar-led committee and head coach Gautam Gambhir to reassess their approach ahead of future Test assignments.
India’s loss to South Africa triggered the legendary opener’s fury. The team walked into the series looking undercooked, underprepared and frankly unaware of what they were up against. The batting folded, the bowling lacked bite and the fielding looked half-asleep. Gavaskar, never one to sugar-coat, said what fans were thinking: this wasn’t bad luck — it was bad planning.
Gavaskar saved some of his sharpest criticism for the selectors. He blasted the growing obsession with multi-format players and insisted that Test cricket needs red-ball specialists, not T20 superstars who struggle when the ball seams and swings. “Pick the right men for the right job,” he demanded. And after watching the collapse, it’s hard to argue.
One of his biggest complaints: India turned up with barely any proper warm-up games. While top sides toughen up against local teams, India chose light practice and intra-squad routines. Gavaskar called it a recipe for disaster. It would be equivalent to jumping into a swimming pool without first making sure there is water if you were to face South African quicks without warming up.
The legend then went after India’s mindset. Test cricket isn’t a sprint, it’s a five-day scrap for survival and dominance.
Gavaskar said too many players are taking white-ball habits into red-ball cricket: playing loose shots, losing patience, chasing glory rather than grinding through tough phases. His verdict was clear: “Leave your ego in the dressing room.”
It wasn’t just the batting and bowling. Gavaskar was furious about India’s sloppy fielding: dropped catches, misfields, and lapses in concentration at crucial moments. He insisted that a great Test team wins the small battles: saving runs, taking half-chances, staying switched on. India did none of that, and it showed.
Gavaskar also questioned whether young players are being given the right foundation. Many arrive in the national team after shining in franchise cricket — but Test cricket is a different beast.
You can’t just hit your way out of trouble. You need patience, shot selection and confidence against the moving ball. Gavaskar fears that the current system no longer teaches that.
He slammed the constant chopping and changing. One Test, a player is vital; the next, he’s benched. Gavaskar believes a stable Test team must be built over time, not assembled like a T20 side chasing headlines. Consistency in selection leads to consistency on the field, and India desperately needs both.
Gavaskar didn’t spare the coaching group either. He urged them to drill Test-specific thinking into the squad, not just rely on talent.
According to him, India has enough skill to dominate the world — but without clarity, planning and discipline, they’re handing matches away on a platter.
Indian backers echoed Gavaskar’s arguments, with some feeling enraged and others perplexed. They’ve seen this movie before: hype before the tour, disaster when the real battle begins. Questions are flying: Are players distracted? Are coaches failing? Are selectors confused? Or is the system favouring the wrong format?
The legend didn’t just criticise — he prescribed a plan.
His key demands:
According to Gavaskar, if India keeps repeating the same mistakes, the losses abroad will pile up. And he isn’t wrong. Test cricket rewards patience, planning and grit. India has the talent, that’s never been the issue, but the mindset and preparation are drifting.
Gavaskar’s words weren’t an emotional outburst, they were a warning. A shout from someone who has carried Indian cricket on his back. If India takes his advice seriously, this defeat could spark a revival. If not, their Test flaws will continue to be revealed by the outside world.
Sunil Gavaskar’s critique is not personal, it’s necessary. He loves Test cricket. He loves India. And he hates watching avoidable mistakes. His message for the team is crystal clear: respect the format, prepare properly and fight like a top side.
Ignore him now, and the next defeat won’t be a surprise — it’ll be inevitable.
Ans: Due to factors like the change of leadership, constant shuffling of the batting line-up and the misfiring of the bowling attack.
Ans: Rohit Sharma reportedly complained to the BCCI about Sunil Gavaskar’s sharp criticism.
Ans: Out of the 17 Test series played so far, India has been victorious in 10.
