Assess Kohli, Shastri roles if India don’t win series: Gavaskar

Perth, December 18

The qualities of Virat Kohli as captain and Ravi Shastri as coach must be assessed if India fail to win the next two Tests, suggested Sunil Gavaskar, who is baffled by the “selection blunders” committed by the management.

Gavaskar was not impressed with the selection of four pace bowlers and no spinner. “We have been seeing this — the selection blunders that have been committed since the tour of South Africa. It has cost the team because it has lost matches which could’ve been won if the proper selection had been made,” Gavaskar said. 

“They have to look at the combination of their team, look at the hole that needs to be plugged and pick the men to,” Gavaskar told a news channel. “If they do that then they can certainly win the next two matches but if they don’t, and that too against this Australian team which does not have Steve Smith or David Warner, then the selectors need to think whether we are getting any benefit from this lot — the captain, coach and support staff.”

He questioned the logic for picking a jumbo squad. “I want to find out that who has authorised 19 players to go because the next question is why not three more?” he asked. “ The BCCI is a very rich body, it can afford to send even 40 people down there. However, I feel that an India cap, an Indian blazer has to be made a lot more valuable...” — PTI