'Selectors should resign even if Australia make a stunning comeback' - Sunil Gavaskar lashes out at Australian selectors

Sunil Gavaskar & Team Australia (Image credit: Twitter)

After humiliating defeats in the first two Tests in Nagpur and Delhi, Australia bounced back in the third Test under the captaincy of Steve Smith at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Even before the start of the series, the Australian media and former cricketers had discussed India producing a spin-friendly pitch to beat the visitors, but it was the hosts who were outclassed in Indore, which was an absolute rank turner. Apart from the pitch, the selection of the Australian team was also a topic of discussion.

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar wants the selectors to resign even if Australia make a stunning comeback in the fourth Test to level the BGT series. His remarks came after former cricketers and media criticized the Australians for their poor performance in the first two Tests. Aussie legend Allan Border had lashed out at Smith, who innocently gave a thumbs-up gesture to Ravindra Jadeja after a ball beat his outside edge. Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden also slammed the team for poor shot selection and poor performance in the first Test.

'The real targets are the Australian selectors': Gavaskar

However, legendary Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar feels that the media and ex-cricketers should question the selection committee instead of pointing fingers at the Australian players. "While the ex-Australian players on the various media platforms are having a real go at their players, the ones who should be the real targets are the Australian selectors," he said.

Highlighting the shortcomings of the selectors, Gavaskar said, "How can they pick three players (Hazlewood, Starc, and Cameron Green) who they knew would not be available for selection for the first two Test matches? That is, for half the series, the team management had only 13 players to pick from."

“Then they fly in a newcomer (Matthew Kuhnemann) when they had a similar player already in the team. If they didn’t think the player in the team was good enough, why did they pick him in the first place? That meant the team management was picking their 11 from 12 players. Ridiculous. If they have any sense of responsibility the selectors should resign even if Australia make a stunning comeback and win the next two Tests and level the series,” Gavaskar added.

Meanwhile, India will lock horns again with Steve Smith and Co in the final Test match of the series from March 9. India, who have retained the B-G trophy, are currently leading the series 2-1. But Rohit Sharma's side needs to win the fourth Test in Ahmedabad to clinch the series and secure their place in the upcoming Test Championship final,