IPL cannot be blamed for batsmen's poor techinque: Gavaskar

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Monday refuted suggestions that the technique of the Indian batsmen has been affected due to their slam-bang appraoch in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Almost all Indian batsmen, inluding some seniors, struggled on the pacy and bouncy pitches of Australia as they lacked technique to negotiate the disciplined bowling of the rival team.

Asked if technique has been compromised by playing in the IPL, where the players need to attack right from the start, Gavaskar replied in a negative.

"I don't think so that for batting style, IPL should be blamed. These cricketers have scored a lot of runs in the Ranji, which is first class cricket and then they are selected to play for India at Test level.

"If IPL is the reason, why is David Warner scoring runs. The batsmen of other (international) teams are also scoring runs so is it that only Indian batsmen are suffering because of IPL?," Gavaskar said while speaking on NDTV.

Gavaskar, who has been a member of IPL's Governing Council in the past, said India's senior batsmen have performed well on the international stage previously despite playing the T20 tournament.

"Has VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar's technique been affected or for that matter of Virender Sehewag and Guatam Gambhir? It's only that in the last two (foreign) tours they have not played to their potential.

"Blaming IPL for that is just finding a scapegoat. Jacques Kallis says that T20 format is easiest on the body. It may be high on intensity but it is easy.

"Then BCCI has a rule that Indian players will not play more than 14 matches," he said.

Gavaskar also advocated some tough decisions ahead of the fourth and final Test at Adelaide.

"The team management need to sit down with Dhoni and analyse. They have a lot of time, still eight days to go. You need to think, if you need to go in with an extra bowler, then you must drop a batsman and play R Ashwin.

"But they have to look at the pitch before making a decision but they have to take hard decisions," he said.