The 0-2 defeat to Ireland has been dubbed the ‘lowest point’ by Sunil Gavaskar, who termed it one of the worst days in Indian cricket. What upset Gavaskar most was India’s meek surrender, with their batters unable to show the stomach for a fight as they failed to chase down 183 in the first T20I and 154 in the second.
India have faced some bitter defeats in the past, such as losing an ODI series in Bangladesh twice and even tasting a loss to Zimbabwe right after the 2024 T20 World Cup. But the Ireland result is a tough pill to swallow, especially for Gavaskar, who himself has been part of some tough results during his time as a cricketer. The World Cup-winning batsman was unimpressed with India’s attitude, pinning the blame on the body language of the players.
“Sunday, June 28, will go down as one of the worst days in Indian cricket. Losing a game of cricket is one thing, but to lose a series, albeit a two-match series, also depends on whom you lose to. There are many low points in Indian cricket, and I have been a part of some, but to lose to Ireland has to be one of the lowest in the history of Indian cricket. If Ireland had played exceptional cricket, then it would have lessened the blow. It was simply overconfidence and a sense of casualness that let India down, and that’s why the sadness,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
“Playing according to the situation is such an important aspect of any sport, especially cricket, but almost all the Indian batters tried to live up to their image and, on pitches that had a little extra carry and bounce, found that they were dismissed very easily by some good catching allied to smart bowling.”
Why no Sooryavanshi?
Gavaskar compared Ireland’s watershed moment with India’s 1983 World Cup, while also pointing out Shreyas Iyer’s missed opportunity with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old, who was much talked about and expected to make his India debut, was kept waiting as the management persisted with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Gavaskar was one of the many left puzzled by this decision.
“While the eventual result may justify not picking Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, this series was the ideal opportunity to give the young man a taste of international cricket. Hopefully, they will not waste any more time and will play him in the very first game against England in a few days’ time. Of course, the young man could fail, but if he gets going, then he will take the game away from the hosts and give India the chance to start the series with a bang,” added Gavaskar.
