Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has called for a shift in the way Indian cricket views success, urging the team and its supporters to put the interests of the collective ahead of individual stars. Gavaskar, who is currently in Singapore for the felicitation of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team, believes the focus should remain on Indian cricket as a whole rather than being centred around “big” individuals.
His comments come ahead of India’s opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, with the visitors facing a demanding task in their bid to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval next year. India’s defeat against South Africa last year has left them needing to win seven of their remaining nine Tests to stay in contention for a place in the WTC summit clash. Gavaskar, however, believes India are capable of beating Sri Lanka 2-0 in the two-Test series, provided the side has the confidence to do so. For him, that belief must be rooted in putting Indian cricket first. "The two-match series in Sri Lanka won’t be easy, as Sri Lanka at home are a formidable team. Winning both these Tests would be a good start to the new Test season, as well as give the team the impetus it needs to qualify for the WTC Final," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. "To be able to do so requires loads of effort and also some luck, but, above all, the belief that Indian cricket should be the priority and not any individual, however big a name he may be," he added. Gavaskar’s call for a team-first approach comes at a time when Indian cricket has repeatedly debated its relationship with superstar culture. Current India head coach Gautam Gambhir has also been vocal about wanting the entire team to receive recognition rather than allowing the spotlight to remain concentrated on one or two high-profile players. India head into the Galle Test after a three-day practice match against SLC XI, which they won by six wickets. Devdutt Padikkal was the standout performer in the game, scoring an unbeaten century in the first innings. While discussing Indian cricket, Gavaskar also highlighted the influence of the Indian Premier League (IPL), describing it as an example of what a well-run competition can achieve. He pointed out that the success of the IPL has encouraged Indian franchise owners to invest in leagues overseas, contributing to the development of cricket ecosystems in other countries. "Today, the IPL has shown the world what a well-organised tournament can do. The fruits of that success have spurred Indian franchise owners to venture into other countries and lift those countries’ cricketing ecosystems to a higher level than might otherwise have been possible," wrote Gavaskar.