- Gavaskar has urged the ICC to reconsider the international schedule and give players adequate time to recover.
- The former India captain warned against stretching cricketers with relentless fixtures.
- Gavaskar emphasised that strengthening domestic cricket is essential to Indian cricket’s long-term success.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has raised concerns over the packed international cricket calendar, stressing that players need adequate rest and preparation time, particularly before demanding Test assignments.
In an exclusive interaction, the batting great also discussed the challenges of switching between formats and identified the Indian batters he expects to perform well in New Zealand conditions.
With the Indian team coming off a busy stretch of international cricket and facing another important Test assignment, Gavaskar believes workload management should be handled carefully.
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He questioned the need to proceed with the proposed Zimbabwe series when the players could instead benefit from additional recovery time ahead of the crucial five-Test series against Australia.
Sunil Gavaskar On Packed Cricket Schedule And Player Fatigue
Reflecting on India's busy year, Gavaskar pointed to the succession of assignments that has left players with limited opportunities to rest.
“It has been a very busy year for the Indian team. After tours of Ireland and England, the players participated in the Asian Games, followed by ODI cricket and now a series of consecutive home assignments. They have not been getting enough rest,” Gavaskar said.
The former India opener suggested that postponing the proposed Zimbabwe series could have given players more time to recover and prepare for the demanding Test matches against Australia.
“I believe the proposed series against Zimbabwe could have been postponed to give the players adequate rest and preparation time ahead of the crucial five-Test series against Australia,” he added.
Gavaskar also emphasised the difference between providing opportunities to emerging players and making changes because of injuries. He argued that workload management should not come at the expense of preparation for major Test assignments.
“Giving players opportunities to make their Test debuts is not the right way to manage their workload. Providing opportunities due to injuries is a different matter altogether,” he said.
Gavaskar Backs Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill And Yashasvi Jaiswal
Looking ahead to India's batting prospects in New Zealand, Gavaskar named Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as players capable of producing substantial contributions in Test cricket.
“Devdutt Padikkal has performed well and shown a hunger to score centuries, which is very important in Test cricket. Shubman Gill batted well in England, and I expect him to score runs in New Zealand's conditions as well,” he said.
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Gavaskar backed Jaiswal and Rahul to make an impact, highlighting the importance of patience and adaptability when facing challenging overseas conditions.
Gavaskar also offered technical advice on batting in conditions where the ball can move late after pitching. He believes batters should play the ball as late as possible instead of reaching forward and committing too early.
By watching the ball's trajectory after it leaves the bowler's hand, batters can adjust their footwork. However, late movement off the pitch gives them considerably less time to react.