25 March 2024 last updated at 19:12 GMT
 
Gavasakar slams India's 'jelly-like' resistance
Tuesday 19 August 2014

Sunil Gavaskar accused India of "embarrassing the country" after their humiliating innings and 244-run defeat by England in the fifth Test at The Oval on Sunday.

The tourists were dismissed in under 30 overs on Sunday as they suffered their third-heaviest Test loss of all-time, after going down by an innings and 336 runs to the West Indies at Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1958 and losing to England by an innings and 285 runs at Lord`s in 1974.

For India great Gavaskar, one of cricket's all-time leading opening batsmen, it was all too much to take.

"Everything about England has been top-class," said Gavaskar while commentating for BBC Radio`s Test Match Special.

"But, India have shown jelly-like resistance. Therefore, England should not get carried away because there are sterner tests to come."

Gavaskar, who made a thrilling 221 at The Oval in 1979 that so nearly saw India to a stunning Test win over England, said the present-day India team, the 50-over world champions, were more interested in one-day cricket than Tests.

"If you do not want to be playing Test cricket for India, quit. Just play limited-overs cricket. You should not be embarrassing your country like that."

Meanwhile former England captain Michael Vaughan accused India of a lack of fight after they succumbed in jut 29.2 overs' batting on Sunday.

"It's a disgrace to think that India have been blown away in 29 overs under blue skies on a pitch that was only doing a bit," said Vaughan.

"They should be embarrassed. Some of those strokes were of players who didn`t want to fight for their country."

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, out for a duck on Sunday but whose first-innings 82 arguably prevented an even-quicker finish, agreed the tourists' batting had been well below the required standard.

"The last three Tests, we were not up to the mark. We never competed. Today's batting was a reflection of a loss of confidence. It`s disappointing."

Agencies

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