The India vs England series posed a significant challenge for Rohit Sharma and his team, resembling an acid test. Not only did India confront a formidable opponent with a track record of success, but they also had to contend with the absence of key players like Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami due to various reasons, including injury and poor form sidelining other established names.
Despite this, India introduced new faces such as Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep, and Rajat Patidar, yet managed to clinch the series with a match still to play, leading 3-1. Sunil Gavaskar, former Indian cricket team captain, expressed pride in India’s achievement, emphasizing it as a message to those who doubt India’s ability to win without star players.
Gavaskar said: “Three years back, India missed a lot of big names in Australia but they still managed to pull off a fantastic win not just in Gabba. After getting all out in Adelaide for 36 they won in Melbourne and drew in Sydney. They battled hard to save the Sydney Test match. If Rishabh Pant stayed on the crease for half an hour then India could have won that match as well. But the Heart and application the young Indian players showed during that Australia tour was visible even this time around against England.”
“We have players with big hearts then we can win” – Sunil Gavaskar
“That’s why I always say, you don’t need big names… If any big name thinks that India won’t win without him these two series have shown that whether you are there or not…Cricket is a team sport. It doesn’t depend on one individual. Credit must go to the way captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid have managed the team. They gave chances to the young players, moulded them, and encouraged them to play their natural game. This shows that whether we have big names or not, if we have players with big hearts then we can win.”
Emerging talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akash Deep, Dhruv Jurel, and Sarfaraz Khan shone throughout the series, while former Australia captain Ian Chappell highlighted Rohit Sharma’s leadership skills, often overlooked but now gaining attention in cricket discussions.
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