Sunil Gavaskar Doesn't Mince Words, Reveals Villains Of India's ODI Series Loss vs New Zealand
Despite Virat Kohli's century in the final ODI, India's fielding shortcomings and failure to apply pressure contributed to the series defeat.
The Indian cricket team's 2-1 loss to New Zealand on home soil has sent shockwaves through the cricketing fraternity, prompting a scathing post-mortem from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. Following the series-deciding third ODI in Indore, where India fell 41 runs short despite a valiant 54th century in the format from Virat Kohli, Gavaskar was quick to highlight a glaring weakness in Shubman Gill's team -- a lack of proactive intensity on the field. During a detailed post-match discussion with former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull, Gavaskar did not mince words regarding the "lacklustre" defensive effort. He argued that the series was not necessarily lost due to insufficient efforts by the batters or bowlers, but rather to the soft concessions made in the field during the middle overs.
Gavaskar specifically targeted the team's inability to stop the rotation of strike, which allowed New Zealand's middle order to dictate the tempo of the game, preventing bowlers from testing the settled batters effectively.
"I don't want to take names, but certain individuals allowed singles to be taken very easily. Yes, Rohit Sharma was quick, and Virat Kohli, we all know what an athlete he is on the field, but I just felt the fielding could have been a lot more proactive," Gavaskar stated in a chat with Doull after the match on Sunday.
By allowing "easy singles," the Indian fielders effectively neutralised the pressure created by the bowlers. In a format where momentum is everything, Gavaskar noted that the failure to "squeeze" the opposition allowed batters like Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips to settle in without taking undue risks.
While Gavaskar was careful to shield senior statesmen like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the brunt of the criticism, his comments suggest a growing concern regarding the fitness and commitment of the younger crop or specialists in the side. Kohli's performance in the final ODI-a masterclass of 124 off 108 balls-emphasised his professionalism, but the lack of support from the field meant India were always a step behind in the tricky chase at Indore.
India Cricket Team
New Zealand Cricket Team
Sunil Gavaskar