IND vs ENG: 'They are not needed...', Sunil Gavaskar's Strict Message To The Players

Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar said that India should feel proud of this achievement. He also said that this is a message to the big names who think that India cannot win without them.

The India vs England series was an acid test for Rohit Sharma and company in many ways. Not only was India facing off against a team that had won against almost every team that came their way over the years, but Team India itself was suffering the absence of some senior players. Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami missed the entire series due to various reasons while injuries and poor form ruled out some other big names from the team. India gave debuts to players like Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep, Rajat Patidar and yet took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series with one match remaining.

Gavaskar Said This

Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar said that India should feel proud of this achievement. He also said that this is a message to the big names who think that India cannot win without them. He said, 'When India went on the tour of Australia three years ago, many big names were not playing, but the team was still successful in winning the series including the Gabba.After being all out for 36 runs in the first Test in Adelaide, India won in Melbourne and drew in Sydney. He worked hard to save the Sydney Test match. If Rishabh Pant had remained at the crease for half an hour, India could have won that match also. The passion shown by the young Indian players during that Australia tour was visible this time against England also.

'Players with heart needed'

Gavaskar said- That's why I always say, you don't need big names. If any big name thinks that India will not win without him, then these two series have shown whether you are there or not. Cricket is a team sport. It doesn't depend on any one person. Captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid should be given credit for the way they have managed the team.He gave opportunities to young players, molded them and encouraged them to play their natural game. This shows that whether we have big names or not, if we have players with big hearts we can win.

Ian Chappell Also Praised

Many young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akash Deep, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan have performed brilliantly in the series so far. Former Australia captain Ian Chappell said that Rohit's leadership skills are also one of the most talked about topics. Chappell believes that Rohit's ability as a captain is often overlooked. He said, 'After fielding a similar looking team for a long time, there was a sudden reshuffle in the Indian team. 

However, Rohit Sharma's leadership is often overlooked.Rohit, in his calm but efficient manner, is a very different captain from the aggressive and highly visible Ben Stokes. His ability to deal with the situation despite many changes in the team and the tough defeat in the first Test shows his resilience. He also scored a brilliant century at the start of the third Test when the Indian team needed it.