'Intra-squad is a joke' - Sunil Gavaskar critical of India's practice after Centurion loss

In a frank assessment following India's hefty defeat in the Centurion Test against South Africa, Sunil Gavaskar voiced concerns over India's lack of practice matches against local teams beforehand. The Proteas dominated the match, securing victory by an innings and 32 runs. India struggled, posting 245 and 131 in their innings while South Africa amassed a commanding 408 in their sole innings.

Gavaskar highlighted the absence of warm-up matches as a possible factor contributing to India's loss. Despite commendable performances by KL Rahul with a battling century and Virat Kohli's resilient 76-run knock, the team faced an uphill battle. The veteran cricketer’s discussion was focused on dissecting India's shortcomings in the match, with Gavaskar shedding light on the team's preparation, or lack thereof, as a contributing factor to their defeat.

"The reasons are straightforward - you didn't play any matches here. If you straightaway play Test matches, it doesn't work out. Yes, you sent the India A team. The India A team should actually come before the tour,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

"You need to play practice matches after coming here. Intra-squad is a joke because would your fast bowlers bowl extremely fast to your batters, would they bowl bouncers, as they would be scared about injuring their batters," he added.

Team India conducts intra-squad behind closed doors 

Ahead of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa, the Indian team conducted a match simulation at the Tuks Oval in Pretoria, a stone's throw away from the Supersport Park in Centurion where the first Test was scheduled. However, the media found themselves on the sidelines as the coaching staff, led by Rahul Dravid, opted for a closed-door session.

This move was aimed to shield their strategies from prying eyes and kept a tight lid on the proceedings. Similar to closed-door practices seen in global football setups during tactical training, the Indian cricket team, known for occasionally employing this 'Closed Door' policy, extended the restriction throughout the session.