Ricky Ponting Blasts Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill For Creating Pressure On India Star
Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill have been slammed for 'creating internal pressure' on the team's youngsters like B Sai Sudharsan.
- Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for a duck in the second innings of the 4th Test in Manchester
- Ricky Ponting criticised the handling of Sudharsan by captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir
- Ponting said young players need reassurance and a consistent run in the team to succeed
B Sai Sudharsan once again failed to make his exemplary talent count, as he departed for a duck in the second innings of the 4th Test between India and England in Manchester on Saturday. Both Sudharsan and opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal departed for ducks, leaving the team in a spot of bother. Though KL Rahul and Shubman Gill have since stabilized the Indian ship, the threat since remains. Since the twin blows early in the innings, questions have been raised over the manner in which Skipper Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir area handling the team.
Australia great Ricky Ponting didn't mince his words as he targeted Gill and Gavaskar for 'creating internal pressure' on youngsters like Sai Sudharsan, by not giving them a lengthy rope in the team.
Sudharsan was a part of the Indian team in the opening Test of the series but was dropped after his failure to fire in the match. The batter warmed the bench in the second and the third match before being selected again in the 4th Test.
"It just creates internal pressure, the pressure a youngster doesn't need or someone coming in doesn't need looking over their shoulders on if they will get another opportunity. That's why I was really surprised that they made the call on Sudarshan for the first Test and then went away from him and then went straight back to him," Ponting told Sky Sports.
Ponting said that promising stars like Sudharsan should have the backing of the team management, without the pressure that he could be dropped after a couple of failures.
"For a young bloke, you want that bit of reassurance from your captain and your coaches - We are picking you now and we are going to give you a decent run at it and see how you go. I've got no doubt that Sudarshan is going to be good enough," he added.
With India to 174/2 at stumps on Day 4, the 5th and final day's play is going to demand some extraordinary batting from the touring team's batters.
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir