Sunil Gavaskar: India's bowling was hopeless

Sunil Gavaskar has called India's bowling performance in the ongoing third Test in Melbourne "hopeless" and said that the wickets India got were gifted to them, not earned.

Despite taking five Australian wickets when the hosts had 216 runs on the board, India could not finish the job and let their opponents score 530 runs in the first innings.

The cricket icon was frustrated with the current Indian bowlers and said that India needs to look at another set of bowlers.

Gavaskar said, "India's bowling was hopeless as they never looked like taking wickets. Whatever wickets they got were gifted to them and not earned.

"I didn't have any expectations that India could restrict Australia. I had hopes but no realistic expectation. The solution is to look at another set of bowlers, they can't do any worse than the current lot.”

India can not come back in the match

"You have to be an absolute optimist to believe that India can come back in the match. India have lost out on a golden opportunity to win a Test series in Australia," he added. India are already down 2-0 in the four-Test series.

Murali Vijay’s batting was the only positive Gavaskar could take out of India’s showing in the Test series having seen the opener score more than fifty runs on four occasions in five innings. Vijay was still batting when the second day’s play ended with India trailing Australia by 422 runs.

"Murali Vijay's shot selection is admirable as is his patience. One-half of the opening problem has been solved," said Gavaskar.