You Cant Be Sitting In Your Hotel Room…: Sunil Gavaskars Stern Message For Indian Players After Humiliating Defeat In Adelaide

This was the shortest-ever Test between India and Australia in terms of balls bowled after the match got over in less than two-and-a-half days.

Speaking to the official broadcaster after the end of the second Test, legendary Sunil Gavaskar advised Indian players to not “waste” time in their hotel rooms and utilise the two extra days by sweating it out in training so they can bounce back in the third match.  

“Look at the remainder of the series as a three-match series. Forget it was a five-Test series. What I would like this Indian team to do is use the next couple of days for practice. It’s very important. You can’t be sitting in your hotel room or wherever you’re going because you have come here to play cricket,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.

“You don’t have to practice the whole day. You can practice a session in the morning or afternoon, whichever time you choose, but do not waste these days. You would have been here playing a Test match if the Test match were to go on for five days,” he added.

The third Test will start on December 14 and Gavaskar said the Indians should utilise the intervening time to get their rhythm back. 

“You have to get yourself that much more time to get into the rhythm because you have not got the runs. Your bowlers haven’t got the rhythm. There are others too who need time in the middle,” he said.

Former India skipper also mentioned that he did not believe in the concept of optional practice sessions, stating that the decision should solely rest with the captain and coach, not the players.

“This optional practice session is something that I don’t believe. The decision for optional training should rest with the captain and the coach. The coach should say, ‘Hey, you hit 150, you don’t need to come to practice. Hey, you bowled 40 overs in the match, you don’t need to come to practice,” said Gavaskar. 

“They should not be given the option. If you give the players that option, a lot of them, especially the certainties, will say, ‘No, I am going to stay in my room.’ And that’s not what Indian cricket needs,” he added.