Gavaskar’s satire: work load now should disappear from Indian team’s dictionary!
Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has hit back at the idea of “workload management,” citing the example of Indian Army jawans who patrol the borders in the harshest conditions. “If you’re going to succumb to people talking about workload, then you’ll never have your best players on the field,” Gavaskar told India Today. The ball that Mohammed Siraj bowled to Gus Atkinson to rattle his stumps was Siraj’s fifth fastest delivery of the series, and this came after five Tests in which he bowled a whopping 185.2 overs. He ended up as the leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets in the series. He was the last bowler remaining from both sides to play all the games at the end alongside Chris Woakes. Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, appreciative of Siraj’s workload, said that he debunked the “business of workload.” “There’s always the saying that the bowlers win your matches, but the fact of the matter is that you’ve also got to score the runs. So because India didn’t score the runs, they lost those two matches. So yes, I think Siraj bowled his heart out, and he debunked forever this business of workload,” he said, speaking to India Today. Gavaskar, however, made it clear that his criticism was not directed at Bumrah, saying that his was a case of “injury management” more than anything else. “When you are playing for your country, forget the aches and the pains. On the border, do you think that the jawans are complaining about cold? What did Rishabh Pant show you? He came out to bat with a fracture. That is what you expect from the players. Playing cricket for India is an honour,” Gavaskar told ‘India Today’. “You are representing 140 crore people and that is what we saw in Mohammed Siraj. I think Siraj bowled his heart out, and he debunked forever this business of workload. “For five Test matches, non-stop he has bowled 7-8 over spells, because the captain wanted him and the country expected of him,” added the former skipper. The 76-year-old said workload management cannot come in the way of fielding the best available team. “If you are going to succumb to people who are talking about workload, then you are never going to have your best players on the field for your country,” he said. “I hope that the word ‘workload’ goes out of the Indian cricket dictionary. I’ve been saying that for a long time… And I think that is the one thing that we all should keep in mind that this workload is only a mental thing, not so much a physical thing,” he added. England, set a target of 374 to win, lost a nail-biting encounter by just six runs, with Siraj returning innings figures of 5/104 as India ended a rollercoaster campaign level at 2-2. The hosts resumed Monday’s final day on 339/6, needing just 35 more runs for a win that would have secured a 3-1 series victory. But they had no answer to the enduring skill of fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who featured in all five Tests. He dismantled England with a brilliant burst of 3/9 in 25 balls, ending the match in style by knocking over Gus Atkinson’s off-stump.
Vaughan bats for substitute in test
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has pointed out how the contest will effectively be reduced to 11 vs 10 with four days left and suggested that teams be allowed option to introduce a substitute player in the eventuality of someone in their eleven getting seriously injured. “I don’t like the fact that we’ve got four days left in the game – four days of action in what has been an incredible series – where we are going to have ten versus eleven,” Vaughan said on Test Match Special. “I prefer that you’d have a sub. You know, once they brought in concussion subs, I was crying out, saying, ‘Well, just have substitutions then in the first innings of a game.’ That would be my stepping point. If it happens in the second innings, I feel that team might kind of break the rules or indulge in a bit of skullduggery.” “But if it’s clear and obvious – when someone breaks a hand or a foot or ruptures a calf – it’s so evident that someone is in real pain and can’t carry on. I think it’s very clear to me: you should be allowed a sub,” he added. India vs England: India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was taken off the field after being struck on the foot during the opening day of the Manchester Test. Pant is unlikely to take further part in the game. India endured a significant setback on the opening day of the fourth Test at Manchester as Rishabh Pant was forced off the field after sustaining a painful blow to his right foot. The incident occurred late in the final session on Wednesday, July 23, when Chris Woakes delivered a sharp yorker that beat Pant’s attempted no-look sweep and struck him flush on the foot, just below the toe. Pant was visibly in distress immediately after the impact. The physios rushed in, and after a brief assessment on the field, he was taken off via a cabby ambulance for further treatment. Broadcast visuals revealed swelling and even a small cut near the affected area, raising concerns about the extent of the damage. The Indian team management is expected to have the injury thoroughly assessed to determine his availability for the remainder of the match. This incident marks an unfortunate trend for Pant, who had also picked up an injury during the first day of the previous Test at Lord’s. While keeping wickets, he sustained a finger injury that ruled him out of continuing behind the stumps. Despite that setback, he came out to bat later in the match and played a key role in extending the contest to the final day. India had made a promising start earlier in the day, with half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan pushing them past the 200-run mark. However, the side has struggled to stitch together a lasting partnership in the middle order, and Pant was expected to anchor the innings with his counter-attacking presence. Ponting, speaking to Sky Sports, said the signs were ominous: “He hardly put his foot on the ground. He rolled around for 6-8 minutes before the golf cart came out. The immediate swelling was the worry for me. I’ve had a metatarsal injury myself, and they’re small, fragile bones. The fact he couldn’t put any weight on it — it doesn’t look good at all.” Pant’s absence could severely dent India’s chances, especially as they trail 1-2 in the five-match series. “The momentum he brings to the Indian team — that’s what they potentially miss the most,” Ponting added. “Someone who can break the game open and put pressure back on the opposition.” India’s Sai Sudharsan, who top-scored with 61, said Pant “was in a lot of pain” and confirmed he had gone for scans. “We’ll get to know overnight ,” he added. Former England Captain Alastair Cook though has a different view on it. Cook asked what happens if it’s just a bruise which renders a batter unable to hold a bat? “I’m not sure I agree,” said Cook. “I’m not even sure what I think at the moment. But say we’ve just seen Pant walk off – he looks in all kinds of pain. And then it turns out it’s not broken. “So there’s nothing on the X-ray, it’s just a bruise. Does he have to play on then? If he has broken his foot, then that’s a different thing.” “But there will be cases where someone gets hit on the arm. ‘I can’t move my hand, I’m bruised.’ But it’s only a bruise. So do you get replaced because of discomfort and the fact that you can’t hold the bat as well as you’d like – even though it’s just a bruise?” he added.
