‘The planning must start now’ – Sunil Gavaskar urges Indian team to plan for defeating Australia in December 2024
Sunil Gavaskar (Source – Twitter)
India’s legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar recently talked about the preparations the Indian team needs to make for the upcoming Border Gavaskar trophy which will be conducted towards the end of 2024. The Indian recently won the last test match of India’s tour of South Africa as they defeated the latter by seven wickets. However, the Indian team exhibited a similar pattern that they have had since years of losing the first match to end up winning or drawing the series.
Sunil Gavaskar emphasized that in order to whitewash Australia at their home in December 2024 they need to begin the preparations for the series from now, on to keep a winning momentum which they have maintained in the last two series they have played in Australia. He also discussed how it is important for both the batters and bowlers to perform their duties in his recent columns for Sportstar.
Sunil Gavaskar on India’s preparations for Test series against Australia
In his recent columns, Sunil Gavaskar wrote, “The defeat in Centurion is pretty much a pattern for Indian teams touring the SENA countries, where they lose the first Test of the series and then play catch-up for the remainder of the series. The next big series overseas is exactly a year away in Australia, and if India needs to keep the winning momentum of the previous two tours there, then the planning must start now.”
He further added, “The FTP suggests that India is playing two Tests against Bangladesh and three Tests against New Zealand at home from the end of September to early November. The first Test of a five-match series in Australia will likely start in early December, so it does give the Indians time to play a couple if not more, first-class games before the series.”
“Rohit said after the loss in Centurion that these games are no good because the host countries put up second-rate teams, and they get to play on slow pitches. Even if that is true, isn’t it better to get into a rhythm against such opposition than stay at home? Not only the batters can get some runs under their belts, but the bowlers can also go flat out and test themselves,” Gavaskar concluded.
