Sunil Gavaskar Criticizes Team India’s Decision
India vs New Zealand Second Test in Pune
Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disappointment over the exclusion of spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the Indian team during the second Test against New Zealand in Pune. Gavaskar described the decision to include spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar as a sign of “panic.”
Match Details
The match took place at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, with New Zealand’s captain Tom Latham winning the toss and choosing to bat first. India made three changes to their lineup, with Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, and Kuldeep Yadav sitting out. Shubman Gill returned to the team after recovering from neck stiffness, while Akash Deep and Washington Sundar were included in the playing eleven.
Gavaskar’s Opinion
Gavaskar, speaking during the match, criticized the decision to make three changes, suggesting it was due to concerns about India’s batting strength. He believed that Sundar was included more for his batting abilities than his bowling, despite the presence of left-handed batsmen in the New Zealand lineup. Gavaskar stated he would have preferred Kuldeep Yadav, who could challenge left-handers with his spin.
Team Lineups
| India | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Tom Latham (c) |
| Rohit Sharma (c) | Devon Conway |
| Shubman Gill | Will Young |
| Virat Kohli | Rachin Ravindra |
| Rishabh Pant (w) | Daryl Mitchell |
| Sarfaraz Khan | Tom Blundell (w) |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Glenn Phillips |
| Washington Sundar | Mitchell Santner |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | Tim Southee |
| Akash Deep | Ajaz Patel |
| Jasprit Bumrah | William O’Rourke |
This match is crucial for India, as they trail 1-0 in the series and need a win to maintain their home dominance and strengthen their chances for the ICC World Test Championship finals.
Doubts Revealed
Sunil Gavaskar -: Sunil Gavaskar is a famous former Indian cricketer who played for the Indian national team. He is known for being one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket history.
Kuldeep Yadav -: Kuldeep Yadav is an Indian cricketer who plays as a spin bowler. He is known for his unique bowling style called ‘chinaman’ or left-arm unorthodox spin.
Test Match -: A Test match is a type of cricket game that is played over five days. It is considered the longest and most traditional format of the sport.
Washington Sundar -: Washington Sundar is an Indian cricketer who is an all-rounder, meaning he can both bat and bowl. He is known for his off-spin bowling and useful batting skills.
Tom Latham -: Tom Latham is a cricketer from New Zealand who plays as a batsman. He is also known for being a good fielder and sometimes captains the team.
ICC World Test Championship -: The ICC World Test Championship is a tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to determine the best Test cricket team in the world. Teams earn points by winning matches and aim to reach the finals.
