- 1 day ago
This special report covers India's 408-run Test loss to South Africa, the team's heaviest defeat by runs, and a 2-0 series whitewash. The bulletin features an interview with Sunil Gavaskar, who analyses the state of Indian Test cricket and defends Head Coach Gautam Gambhir. Sunil Gavaskar states, 'You need to bring people who are connected with the game, but who are just outside, who will bring another perspective.' The programme also celebrates the Indian blind women's cricket team, who won the inaugural T20 World Cup by defeating Nepal. Key figures discussed include Gautam Gambhir, Sunil Gavaskar, and members of the victorious blind women's team.
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00:00Test cricket in India has plunged to another low as the visiting South African team literally brought India to its knees while completing a 2-0 series whitewash and the worst ever test defeat that India suffered by a mammoth 408 runs.
00:14In 12 months, this is the second instance of an Indian team being whitewashed on home turf, which has raised several questions over the team management and yes, over the team coach, Gautam Gambhir and indeed the players themselves.
00:30A little while ago, I spoke to Sunil Gavaskar. Let's go straight to him.
00:40And joining me now is a very special guest. The legendary one and only Sunil Gavaskar joins us. Appreciate you joining us, Mr. Gavaskar.
00:48Would I be right in saying that this is a new low for Indian Test cricket, losing to South Africa by 408 runs on the back of that defeat in Kolkata,
00:56losing three tests at home against New Zealand last year. It seems that Indian Test cricket is at a low point. Am I right?
01:06Well, first and foremost, a disclaimer. I was in Muddan Ali over the last five, six days for the 100th birthday anniversary celebrations of Sri Sattva Sai Baba.
01:15That's why I didn't watch a single ball for what happened in Gavaskar. So I really don't know what happened except in getting to know before I boarded the flight to Mumbai
01:25that India had lost the game by the biggest margin they ever had.
01:31But I think we need to remember that last year, losing 3-0 to New Zealand for me was perhaps even worse than losing to the world champions.
01:45Today, South Africa, the world champions. And to lose to them is not great, of course.
01:54But I don't think it's the lowest point. I think the lowest point was losing all three Test matches to New Zealand last year.
02:01But is there something structurally wrong when you lose five Test matches in a row to two of the Sena teams, South Africa and New Zealand?
02:10I mean, for years, we never lost at home. So there seems to be something that's gone badly wrong. Can you put a finger at it?
02:17More than things going badly wrong from the Indian point of view, I think it's the preparation of both these teams that needs to be allotted.
02:27Because if you had a look at what New Zealand had done before they came to India, they played a series in Sri Lanka.
02:33So they got used to the weather conditions. They got used to the pitches over there.
02:38And so did the South Africans. They went to Pakistan in October just before they came to India.
02:45I think they had a little bit of a break before they came to India.
02:49And I think the A-team was in India playing against the India A-team.
02:53So some of them were prepared, who then came on to play in the Test matches.
02:59So their preparation, I think, was a lot more thorough than a lot of other teams.
03:04A lot of other teams just come to India and they find it difficult.
03:07But both these teams did their preparations really well.
03:11But by contrast, our preparations were nowhere near as good.
03:14Some of our players were playing an ODI tournament in Australia.
03:17Maybe they should have had a camp or played some matches leading up to this on Indian turning wickets.
03:23I mean, it's one thing the foreign team is preparing well.
03:26But we don't seem to get our act together, to be very honest.
03:31Yes, I think that is the way the market forces are.
03:35The market forces at the moment mean that, you know, India is a team that is, you know, asked to be in other countries just about every year.
03:46Because that boosts their TV revenue.
03:48See, last year India played five Test matches in Australia.
03:52And what happens this year again, we go to Australia.
03:54In the middle of our season, I think that is the thing that India needs to be very strong about.
03:58That Australia doesn't go anywhere during their season.
04:02India should also say to other teams, look, buddies, our season is more important.
04:07You want to play against us?
04:08You come to India.
04:10That is what India needs to do.
04:11Playing this, you know, one-day series of T20 series in Australia, between two Test series didn't make any sense.
04:19But that was a bilateral arrangement that had to be, you know, adhered to.
04:26But isn't that the problem, Mr. Gavaskar, that we seem to be focusing excessively on white ball cricket, on IPL,
04:33instead of giving Test cricket the true importance it deserves?
04:37Red ball and white ball cricket are two completely different sports now.
04:42No, no, they may be.
04:43But here, I think it was the bilateral agreement.
04:45We could have, for example, had the Australia one-day series, which, in my view, was really nothing.
04:52Yes, the T20, because we have a T20 World Cup coming up, a T20 series makes sense.
04:57But playing those three one-day games didn't really make any sense.
05:00Because there's no one-day competition, international competition, ICC competition, for maybe two years, since 2027.
05:08So we didn't have to do that.
05:10But, so if you had had that for us...
05:12Or at least maybe pick...
05:14Sure, or at least maybe pick a very different team.
05:17The point I'm getting at is, today, a lot of people are venting on Gautam Gambhir, Mr. Gavaskar.
05:22That the coach of the team, according to them, should be held accountable.
05:27They virtually are accusing him of driving away some of the older players, the Kohli's, the Rohit Sharma's, the Ashwin's.
05:34And that he's chopping and changing, bringing in bits and pieces, all-rounders, shuffling the batting order, not ensuring stability.
05:41How do you respond? Is Gautam Gambhir the problem?
05:44He's a coach.
05:45He's a coach.
05:47The coach can prepare a team.
05:49The coach can tell, you know, guide with his experience.
05:52But it's out there in the middle that the players have to deliver.
05:55Now, to those who are asking, you know, for him to be held accountable, my question, counter-question is, what did you do when India won the Champions Trophy under him?
06:08Did you say then, you're asking for his sacking now, did you say then that he should be given an extended contract, a contract for life for one-day cricket and for T20 cricket?
06:24You didn't say that.
06:26So, it's only when a team doesn't do well, you look at the coach.
06:29But that's a separate game, Mr. Gavaskar.
06:31Sorry to intervene.
06:32That's a separate game.
06:33White ball versus red ball.
06:34Red ball has a different coach and white ball has a different coach.
06:37No, not necessarily.
06:39Not necessarily.
06:41You have coaches, for example.
06:43Brendan McCallum is the coach for all three formats for England.
06:47A lot of countries have a coach which is there for all formats.
06:50But we tend to only look and point a finger at somebody when the team has lost.
06:56You're not prepared to give him credit.
06:57If you're not prepared to give him credit for the Champions Trophy and the Asian Cup win, then please tell me why you want to blame him for the team out there on that 22 yards not doing well.
07:10Why are you blaming him?
07:12So, what's the road ahead?
07:14I mean, is it that, as you then say, in a couple of months there's the T20 World Cup.
07:19We could well win that.
07:20We are the best white ball team.
07:22Then there will be the IPL and everyone will forget about our test cricket.
07:25Is there a real serious problem?
07:27I come back to it.
07:28That we don't take this five-day format seriously enough.
07:31All the focus, all the attention is winning white ball tournaments.
07:35And that is affecting technique.
07:37It's affecting choice of teams.
07:39Players are being picked on their IPL form instead of being picked on their long format form.
07:44No, I disagree.
07:45I don't think India is not taking test cricket seriously.
07:48India is taking all formats of the game seriously.
07:50It's just that at the one-day level, the white ball game, we are a lot, lot better than in the red ball game.
07:59But as we saw in England recently, the way we batted, the way we bowled, every way that we did, we were absolutely brilliant.
08:09And I think that is the key.
08:10The key is to be able to play a lot of this before you go and play a test series.
08:17Historically, India starts a series by losing.
08:22Then as they get used to the conditions, they start to play better.
08:25That's been the case for donkey's years now.
08:28And I think that is what we need to do.
08:30In the sense that we need to go out and play a lot more in that country where we are going.
08:35We play maybe three-day matches, maybe a four-day game and not intra-squad game.
08:40Intra-squad game, the bowlers are not, your fast bowlers are not really going to go flat out.
08:45One, for fear of injuring one of your own battles and for fear of, you know, spending too much before they are ready for the test match.
08:53So, I think…
08:54So, you wouldn't make, Mr. Gawaskar, you would not make wholesale changes in this team.
08:59You are saying the players are good enough.
09:02They just need to be better prepared.
09:03Am I correct?
09:05Yes, I think they need to be better prepared.
09:07That's the most important thing.
09:09You've got to give them the chance to be better prepared for test match cricket.
09:14And so, therefore, your scheduling has to be right.
09:17I was talking about the scheduling of what New Zealand did last year, going to Sri Lanka and then coming to India.
09:21What South Africa did just now, going to Pakistan and then coming to India.
09:25So, I think the scheduling is a very, very important aspect.
09:28And I think it's over here that you have to be looking at what is good for Indian cricket and not looking what is good for somebody else's coffers.
09:39So, in conclusion, to all those who are outraging today and saying sack the coach, sack the players, bring in wholesale changes.
09:48You're saying relax, just change the way we prepare.
09:53I'm not saying relax because, you know, no defeat is palatable, no defeat is palatable.
09:59I'm not saying relax.
10:00I'm just saying that, you know, you need to do a proper, a thorough sort of, you know, post-mortem as to the area that you need to strengthen at the test level.
10:11That is something that you need to do.
10:14And for that, I think, you need to bring in an outside perspective, not within that, you know, the confines of the selection committee and the coaching staff and the team.
10:30You need to bring people who are connected with the game, but who are just outside, who will bring another perspective.
10:36Take a Ravi Shastri, for example.
10:38Take a Rahul Dravid.
10:39Your two earlier coaches, take an Anil Kumble, take a Saurav Ganguly.
10:43Get them together, Sachin Thendulkar.
10:45Sunil Gavaska.
10:47Sunil Gavaska.
10:48Now, why can't five, six of you, why can't five, six of you do a review of the state of Indian cricket and give a report that is made public?
10:57Because these people who I mentioned have just finished playing cricket, retired only about five, eight, ten years ago.
11:05And they are better worse with that than I, who retired 30 years ago.
11:10And that's why I named these people.
11:12To take them, sit with them and formulate for the next five years what Indian cricket should be doing.
11:18You play one-day cricket, you have a World Cup coming up, then focus on the one-day 50-overs game.
11:25How you focus, how you organize your domestic international tour and your overseas international tour.
11:32All that you need to do.
11:33First and foremost, we all, I'm here for a long time now.
11:38I have no idea who takes cricketing calls in the BCCI.
11:42Who takes these cricketing calls in the BCCI?
11:45Nobody knows.
11:46And which is the reason.
11:47I think, you know, I'm suggesting these names.
11:50Because these names are wonderful cricketers who played with pride for their country.
11:55They brought glory to the country as players and coaches.
11:58And their inputs will be invaluable.
12:01I might have missed the name here and there.
12:03So, please forgive me.
12:04But I think these are a few names that you take.
12:07And you sit with Gautam Gambhir and the selection committee.
12:12Then, as a group, eight, ten people come together.
12:15You will be able to find out, you know, what is the best way forward.
12:19I think that's a great suggestion.
12:21I'm adding your name to that list and creating a vision document that you need to prepare for Indian cricket.
12:26But it's the need of the hour.
12:27And I like the idea that you need some external voices to come in, perhaps,
12:33and remove the players and the coaches from the echo chambers that they may otherwise live in.
12:37Indian cricket, in that sense, needs a thorough review.
12:40And I'm glad that you've suggested that, Mr. Gavaskar.
12:43Stay well, as always.
12:44And thank you very much for joining me.
12:49Okay, now, India losing that test match by its highest ever margin is the bad news of the day.
12:55I want to end today, though, with the good news of the day.
12:58We always try and bring you some good news.
13:00Because India's blind women's team has just scripted history, defeating Nepal over the weekend by six wickets to lift the inaugural Blind Women's T20 World Cup.
13:10The women in blue went unbeaten through the tournament, a campaign defined by sheer grit, unshakable resilience and remarkable skill.
13:19India's women blind cricketers doing us very proud.
13:23And guess what?
13:24I had the privilege of meeting them in our studios and speaking to them.
13:28I leave you with that special conversation.
13:31Listen in to them and stay well.
13:33Take a look.
13:33History for a long, long time.
13:35It is wonderful to have you.
13:37Captain here.
13:38Deepika, you're captain.
13:40Yes, sir.
13:40What do you do?
13:41Bowling, batting, fielding?
13:42I'm all-rounder, sir.
13:43You're all-rounder and you're from Karnataka.
13:45Yes, sir.
13:45And the vice-captain, Ganga, you're from?
13:49Maharashtra.
13:49Maharashtra.
13:50Very good.
13:50Maharashtra and Karnataka, two of my favorite states, captain and vice-captain.
13:55And with us is also Mahantesh, who is the driving force of this entire tournament.
14:01Runs an organization called Samarthanam that was wonderful work.
14:05You brought all the players to our studio.
14:06Big proud moment for you.
14:09Yes, sir.
14:09I'm equally honored.
14:11Always coming to India today and talking to you is a very, very proud moment.
14:16I'm very happy my girls made India proud.
14:1916 of them are here.
14:21They belong to nine different states.
14:22Nine different states.
14:23Which state has the largest representation?
14:26Odisha.
14:27Odisha.
14:28Oh, wow.
14:29Four girls, sir.
14:30Four girls from Odisha.
14:31Yes.
14:33And three from Madhya Pradesh, three from Karnataka, one each from Assam, Rajasthan, Maharashtra.
14:40And which other states?
14:42Andhra.
14:43So, in the final, you defeated Australia.
14:45In the 200 runs, you defeated Australia.
14:47And in the final, you defeated Nepal.
14:50Who was the woman of the tournament?
14:52Fula Sorain, sir.
14:55Where is Fula Sorain?
14:56Yeah.
14:57Fula Sorain.
14:59Give her a big hand.
15:01What do you do?
15:02Batting, bowling, everything you do.
15:04All-rounder.
15:05All-rounder.
15:06Today, all-rounder is the time of all-rounder.
15:08All-rounder.
15:08How difficult has it been to put this tournament together?
15:13There are many, many challenges, sir.
15:14So, when we decided to host a few years ago, it's a dream come true.
15:19You know our story, how hard it was.
15:22I kept talking to you about arrangements, getting the sponsorships, getting the teams, hosting
15:29in multi-countries, co-hosting.
15:32There were many challenges, but never say die spirit.
15:34Thanks to my team, Samarthanam, Kaby.
15:36Wonderful.
15:37I'm going to go and try and pick up this trophy of yours.
15:39And I'm going to now hand it over to the captain of the team.
15:45Once more, you get the trophy.
15:47Give them all a very big hand for what they've achieved.
15:50India's world champions.
15:53The first tournament for World Cup for the visually disabled.
15:57And they have done us proud.
15:59That's the good news of the day.
16:01Thanks for watching.
16:03Stay well.
16:03Stay safe.
16:04Shubhraatri Jain Namaskar.
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