Asia Cup 2022: "People who didn't get in touch should have also been named" - Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli's statement on MS Dhoni
Sunil Gavaskar said Virat Kohli in his recent press conference should've named people who didn't message him when he resigned as Test captain and not just MS Dhoni, who he praised as the "only one" former teammate who got in touch.
Kohli's comments came after India's five-wicket defeat to Pakistan on Sunday, September 4. His remarks about people giving suggestions on TV and not calling him were seen as a jibe by many pundits, including Gavaskar. The former opener had recently said he needed "20 minutes" with Kohli to advise him about playing on the off-stump line.
Reacting to the comments on India Today on Saturday, Gavaskar said:
"I don't know what the dressing room inside situation was with all these other players. I think, ideally, if he is named one person who got in touch, maybe the other people who didn't get in touch should have also been named. Then that would have been a little bit fair to everyone concerned rather than thinking everybody else didn't get in touch with him."
#WATCH | When I left Test captaincy, only MS Dhoni messaged me. A lot of people have my number, but no one messaged me. The respect and connection with him (MS Dhoni) is genuine... neither he is insecure about me, nor I am insecure about him...: Virat Kohli, Indian cricketer https://t.co/kSTqAdfzs5
You can find the most wickets in Asia Cup 2022 list here on Sportskeeda.
The batting legend also recalled the time he stepped down from the Test captaincy in 1985, saying:
"To be honest, I don't know what his state of mind was when he took the call so really hard for me to say anything about that because, you know, people take a call. I decided that I was going to quit the test captaincy, Indian captaincy, after the World Championship of Cricket.
"I had taken that call earlier, of course. I had given a letter to the chairman of the selection committee before I left and told him, "Please open it only after the tournament was over." So, you know, at that stage I knew I wanted to play the remainder of my years without the cares of captaincy."
Gavaskar retired just two years after stepping down from the Test captaincy in 1987, foraying into being a columnist and a TV commentator.
"When you are settled in your career, you realize that there are things other than the career" - Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli's maturity
That's that from another close game against Pakistan.
Pakistan win by 5 wickets.
Up next, #TeamIndia play Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
Scorecard - bit.ly/AsiaCup2022-IN… #INDvPAK #AsiaCup2022 https://t.co/Ou1n4rJxHu
Gavaskar was also asked whether Kohli's latest knock of 60 (44) was a show of his maturity. He replied:
"When you're in your 20s, you're probably a little bit different in your 30s. The basic part of you would be there, but your attitude, thinking towards life, etc., you know, [would have] maybe changed a little bit because you have seen life for those ten years. When you get into your 20s, after having spent some pretty carefree years, then suddenly the thought of having to now start earning a living, start making a career, gets into you.
"You get so totally focused on that that sometimes you might not be the best version of yourself at that stage. And then I think when you are settled in your career, you realize that there are things other than your career... So your attitude and thinking definitely changes a little bit should change a little bit."
India will look to make a comeback in the Asia Cup in Tuesday's (September 6) match against Sri Lanka, which will kick off at 7:30 pm IST in Dubai.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2022: "Nobody is going to come out and say, 'I think this captain is rubbish'" - Sunil Gavaskar feels Virat Kohli's comments on Rohit Sharma aside are sugarcoated