Sunil Gavaskar supports Virat Kohli, urges BCCI to plan overseas tours better

Sunil Gavaskar reckons Virat Kohli is absolutely right in raising the issue of the packed schedule of the Indian cricket team and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should address this issue seriously. The legendary batsman has a suggestion for BCCI. He wants the board to use the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) in a more active role.

The CAC which comprises three of the legends of Indian cricket in the form of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman hasn’t had a lot of work to do since its inception. Much of its work has been associated with deciding the name of the head coach for the senior team. Apart from that, it has hardly been involved in any other cricketing decisions.

In Gavaskar’s opinion, it doesn’t make much sense having such a high profile committee of enormously experienced and intelligent individuals and not using them properly.

“CAC should be asked to do administrative works too. They are not there to choose coaches only,” he was quoted saying by NDTV.

Schedule three practice games on future overseas tours

The legend believes while nothing can be done about the South Africa tour now as the schedule of the tour has already been finalized by the boards of the two countries, BCCI needs to be smarter in future. India will walk into the South Arica Test series having played just one practice game and that too a two-day game which Gavaskar thinks is not sufficient at all.

The 67-year-old stressed that the practice games are very important on overseas tours as those games help the team acclimatize to the conditions before the Test series starts. BCCI should schedule the tour such that the touring party gets at least three practice games ahead of the first test.

“South Africa’s series announcement was very late and it hasn’t helped Indian Cricket. For next year’s Australia and New Zealand tour, the planning has to be done now. In Australia, the Indian team should play at least three three-day matches.” Gavaskar remarked.