Rohit Sharma has been disappointing as skipper: Sunil Gavaskar

“I expected more from him. I expected India to do a lot better than they have. In India, it is a different thing, but when you do well overseas, that is really the test. That is where I think he has been a little disappointing,” the legendary Indian cricketer told Indian Express.

Regarding the preparation time needed for crucial fixtures like the World Test Championship, Gavaskar questioned the significance of 20-25 days of preparation, as suggested by Sharma earlier. The West Indies team’s current state allows for a shorter preparation period, he pointed out. He suggested that genuine preparation would involve playing warm-up matches and providing opportunities for fringe players to prove themselves.

“The truth is the main guys do not want to go early because they know that come what may, they will get selected. When you go early they will talk about the workload. You call yourself the fittest team in the world or fitter than the earlier generations, then how do you break down so soon? How do you have a workload issue when you play a 20-overs game?” he told the publication.

Gavaskar stressed on the importance of enjoying what one does and not taking oneself too seriously in the field of commentary. He cited Richie Benaud as a role model, highlighting Benaud’s ability to let the picture speak for itself during significant moments. Gavaskar has also drawn inspiration from Amitabh Bachchan, who continues to work tirelessly at his age.

Reflecting on his upbringing, Gavaskar stressed the importance of being confident in one’s actions and not being apologetic. He recounted his experience forming the Cricketers Association in the West Indies, where he and Venkataraghavan aimed to enhance player performance without going against Indian cricket. Gavaskar emphasised the positive approach they adopted, which helped establish effective communication with the cricketing authorities.

Updated: 17 Jul 2023, 11:03 AM IST