Sunil Gavaskar questions the Pakistan management after their humiliating defeat against Zimbabwe
Former India batter Sunil Gavaskar, when asked about his opinion of the way Pakistan has performed in the tournament, highlighted the role support staff and senior players of the team should be playing after such results while citing the example of India’s 36-all out in Adelaide.
The Pakistan cricket team’s consecutive losses in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 have put their semi-final qualification hopes in jeopardy.
Questions have been raised about the Pakistan teams over their captaincy, middle-order performance, the fitness of certain players, and team selection.
Former India batter Sunil Gavaskar, when asked about his opinion of the way Pakistan has performed in the tournament, highlighted the role support staff and senior players of the team should be playing after such results while citing the example of India’s 36-all out in Adelaide.
Gavaskar affirmed the importance of the support staff and the team’s seniors in reviving the mood in the dressing room in the wake of unsettling results.
The legendary batted expressed how the likes of Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, Ajinkya Rahane, etc. motivated the Indian players after the team was bowled out for just 36 runs in the first innings of the Adelaide Test by Australia a couple of years ago.
“Kabhi kabhi waise demoralising hota hai. Aap apne aap ko lift nehi kar sakte. Lift karne kiliye apke jo management hai woh waise chaiye jo aapko bol sake ki haa ho gaya but aapke paas woh qabiliyat hai. Yehi pe, do saal pehle, India Adelaide main 36 all-out ho gayi thi. Kohli wapas chale gaye the. Ajinkya Rahane captain the. Jis tarike se Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, Ajinkya Rahane, Vikram Rathour, Sridhar, unhone team ko samhala aur confidence diya. Aur maine dekha hai ki jab Kohli nehi rehta hai toh baki ke players sochte hai ki kaise uske jaga ko compensate karein. Waisa agar Pakistan ke paas hota, waisa support staff jo team ko bol sakta hai ki chalo…abhi bhi ho sakta hai.
(Sometimes, such results can be demoralizing. But to lift yourself you need management whose guidance is required to forget about the defeat because you have that ability. Two years ago in Australia, India was bowled out for 36 in a Test match in Adelaide. Even Virat Kohli returned home after that game. But, Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, Ajinkya Rahane, Vikram Rathour, R Sridhar, handled the team well, instilling new beliefs. Pakistan needs that kind of support and they still can turn things around),” Gavaskar said on Sports Tak.
Pakistan’s team is now all in trouble after losing two opening games but if they want to qualify for the semi-final, they should win all the remaining three matches.