The Pakistan cricket team’s back-to-back defeats in the T20 World Cup 2022 have put their semi-finals qualification hopes in jeopardy. Questions have been raised on the Pakistan team’s over their captaincy, middle-order performance, fitness of certain players, and team selection. India great Sunil Gavaskar, when asked about his opinion of the way Pakistan have performed in the tournament, highlighted the role support staff and senior players of the team should be playing after such results, while citing the example of India’s 36-all out in Adelaide.
Gavaskar asserted the importance of the support staff and the team’s seniors in reviving the mood in the dressing room after demoralising results. The legendary batted explained how the likes of Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, Ajinkya Rahane etc. inspired the Indian players after the team was bowled out for just 36 runs in the first innings of the Adelaide Test by Australia a couple of years ago.
“Kabhi kabhi waise demoralising hota hai. Aap apne aap ko lift nehi kar sakte. Lift karne kiliye apke jo management hai woh waise chaiye jo aapko bol sake ki haa ho gaya but aapke paas woh qabiliyat hai. Yehi pe, do saal pehle, India Adelaide main 36 all-out ho gayi thi. Kohli wapas chale gaye the. Ajinkya Rahane captain the. Jis tarike se Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, Ajinkya Rahane, Vikram Rathour, Sridhar, unhone team ko samhala aur confidence diya. Aur maine dekha hai ki jab Kohli nehi rehta hai toh baki ke players sochte hai ki kaise uske jaga ko compensate karein. Waisa agar Pakistan ke paas hota, waisa support staff jo team ko bol sakta hai ki chalo…abhi bhi ho sakta hai.
Promoted
(Sometimes, such results can be demoralising. But to lift yourself up you need a management whose guidance is required to forget about the defeat because you have that ability. Two years ago in Australia, India were bowled out for 36 in a Test match in Adelaide. Even Virat Kohli had returned home after that game. But, Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, Ajinkya Rahane, Vikram Rathour, R Sridhar, handled the team really well, instilling new beliefs. Pakistan need that kind of support and they still can turn things around),” Gavaskar said on Sports Tak.
After losing their first two matches, Pakistan need to beat the Netherlands at all cost if they are to remain alive in the semi-finals qualification race.
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