Australian Media Extension of Cricket Team Support Staff: Sunil Gavaskar

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday said that the Australian media should not be given much attention as they are only an extended part of their team's support staff. The Little Master's comments came in on the eve of the third Test that will be played between India and Australia in Ranchi from March 16. Gavaskar added that the focus should now shift back from off-field issues to cricket.
 
"We should not bother too much about the Australian media and what they write as they are an extension of their cricket team's support staff. The focus now should shift to cricket from off-the-field issues," Gavaskar told NDTV on the eve of the third Test.
 
The former batting great also spoke about the Australia captain Steve Smith's Decision Review System (DRS) controversy, adding that the issue has been blown out of proportion only by the media.
 
"Neither India captain Virat Kohli nor his Australian counterpart Steve Smith have said anything about the issue in between the second and the third Tests. Both captains had their say on the last day of the Bengaluru Test and now they have spoken ahead of the third Test," said the 67-year-old.
 
"Nobody spoke anything in between about it but the media, otherwise there was nothing between them (Kohli and Smith). It is time look at cricket now. A lot of good cricket that was played in the first two Tests has been swept away because of this one incident."


 
The Indian batting legend said that players should be aggressive on the field, but only with their bat and balls, not with their mouths.
 
"There should be aggression but only in terms of cricket, not otherwise. Young players tend to misunderstand while expressing aggression and tend to do it with their mouths instead of the bat and ball. Talking on the field has to be brought down and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has to take a tough stand on it," said the former India opener.
 
Gavaskar concluded by saying that India should go ahead with the same playing XI which won the second Test in Bengaluru by 75 runs and not change a winning combination.
 
"They might look at playing Jayant Yadav as a third spinner but I do not think they will change the playing XI except Murali Vijay coming back into the team," concluded Gavaskar.