"Why would you drop a man who has saved your team from follow-on?" - Sunil Gavaskar's big statement on India's playing 11 for BGT 2024-25 4th Test
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar dismissed the prospect of India making any changes to the playing XI from Brisbane for the all-important Boxing Day Test against Australia, starting in Melbourne on December 26. The five-match series is currently tied at 1-1 as India look to complete a hat-trick of Test series wins in Australia.
After winning the series opener in Perth, India have been largely dominated in the next two Tests at Adelaide and Brisbane. While they suffered a 10-wicket loss in Adelaide, persistent rain helped them escape the Brisbane outing with a draw.
When asked about the team management possibly replacing Akash Deep with Harshit Rana in the pace department, Gavaskar told Star Sports:
"Unlikely that Harshit will replace Akash Deep. Why would you drop a man who has saved your team from follow-on?"
Akash Deep was fairly mediocre with the ball in Brisbane, finishing with match figures of 3/123. However, his 44-ball 31 at No.11 helped India avoid the follow-on - a crucial reason behind them eventually coming out of the Brisbane game with a draw.
Gavaskar was also not in favor of India picking a second spinner at the expense of the impressive Nitish Kumar Reddy.
"They can't drop Nitish Kumar Reddy. He is the fourth seamer. I can't see India going in with just two pacers and Nitish. For me, it is pretty much this XI that plays in MCG," he said.
While Nitish has impressed with the willow, averaging almost 45 over the first three Tests, he has only picked up three wickets at an average of 41 with the ball.
Indian spinners have historically delivered the goods at the MCG, leaving them with the irresistible option of potentially playing Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the XI.
"Just look at the clock and just get there" - Sunil Gavaskar advice for India batters
Sunil Gavaskar advised the Indian batters to look at the clock and not the scoreboard, highlighting the importance of playing time ahead of the crucial Boxing Day Test.
India have been dismissed for under 200 in three of the five innings in the ongoing series, while posting above 400 only once.
"Don’t look at a scoreboard. Just look at the clock and just get there. That’s the thing that this is where I want to be at lunch. And then because it gives you a little time to settle down, it also gives you a sense of what the pitch is," said Gavaskar.
India have enjoyed incredible success against Australia in recent Test meetings in Melbourne, winning their last two outings in 2018 and 2020.