India’s disappointing T20I campaign in the UK should prompt technical improvements rather than sweeping changes to the team, according to former India Captain Sunil Gavaskar, who has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to adopt a measured approach as it reviews the side’s recent performances.
The BCCI is set to assess India’s results following defeats in the T20I series against Ireland and England, with speculation surrounding possible changes after a difficult tour. The review comes only months after India completed an unbeaten run to lift their third T20 World Cup title, although the squad that travelled to the UK was missing several key players, including Hardik Pandya through injury, while Jasprit Bumrah was rested after the IPL and Suryakumar Yadav was no longer part of the setup.
The tour also marked a difficult start for newly appointed Captain Shreyas Iyer, whose side failed to register a victory during the series, prompting scrutiny over both the team’s performances and its leadership.
Gavaskar warns against overreacting
Writing in his Sportstar column, Gavaskar urged administrators to resist making immediate personnel changes in response to the disappointing results.
“The BCCI is going to do a review of the defeat, and there are rumours that a few heads could roll. That would be an extreme step, for barely four months ago India were the world champions and still are No. 2 in the ICC rankings,” Gavaskar wrote.
Rather than viewing the defeats as evidence that wholesale changes are required, Gavaskar suggested the performances should be examined in the context of a significantly altered squad and the absence of several experienced players who were central to India’s recent global success.
Batting technique identified as the bigger concern
While India’s batting came under particular scrutiny after players who excelled during the IPL struggled in English conditions, Gavaskar argued that the issue extends beyond the nature of batting surfaces.
He noted that several Indian batters found it difficult to cope with movement, swing and extra bounce despite arriving in strong domestic form, highlighting technical shortcomings that became more apparent on overseas pitches.
“There’s been a lot of talk about how playing on flat batting pitches has spoiled the Indian batters. Even on the so-called flat pitches in the IPL, most of the Indian batters struggled against the short ball. That is more of a technical failing. With the weight on the front foot and the back foot locked, there is simply no transfer of weight to deal with a ball climbing towards the face. That said, the short boundaries are also to blame, as many of the sixes hit just about clear the boundary rope and so could be catches elsewhere. This has to be looked at urgently if India is to reclaim the ODI title on the faster, bouncier pitches in South Africa,” he added.
Wider questions over domestic conditions
Beyond individual technique, Gavaskar also pointed to the dimensions of grounds in India, suggesting that larger boundaries could better prepare batters for international cricket, particularly in overseas conditions where boundaries are often deeper and mistakes are punished more consistently.
He questioned whether there is sufficient willingness to make changes that could improve long-term player development.
“Every ground in India can have longer boundaries, but is there the will for that? That is the question. We shall soon see,” he stated.
India’s recent defeats have intensified debate over the direction of the T20 side, but Gavaskar believes the focus should remain on addressing technical deficiencies rather than pursuing immediate structural changes. With the BCCI’s review meeting set to assess the team’s performances, its response will determine whether the emphasis falls on player development and technical improvement or broader changes following the disappointing UK tour.
