Sunil Gavaskar Slams Pakistan Cricket: Are They Struggling to Compete Even with India's B Team?

Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian cricketer, recently criticized Pakistan's cricket team for their performance in the Champions Trophy, pointing out their inability to secure a win against India. He remarked that Pakistan's team, in its current state, might find it challenging even to overcome India's secondary squad. His comments underscored the decline in Pakistan's cricketing prowess, highlighting a significant drop in the production of high-caliber players.

Pakistan's exit from the Champions Trophy, following defeats in both their matches without advancing to the semifinals, has brought their cricketing standards into question. Gavaskar emphasized that Pakistan once stood as a cradle for cricket talent, producing players with a natural aptitude for the game. However, he noted a stark regression in this regard, with the country failing to nurture top-tier cricketers in recent times.

Gavaskar elaborated on his observations by stating, "I think Pakistan, with their current form, would struggle to beat even India's B team. I'm not sure about the C team. It surprises me that Pakistan doesn't have a strong reserve of players. Pakistan used to have this natural flair for the game. They might not have been technically sound, but they had good understanding of the game. Take Inzamam-ul-Haq for instance. You can't tell any young batsman to be like him. But, Inzamam had good temperament. He used that temperament to compensate for his technical flaws. It's surprising that Pakistan doesn't produce such talented players. They have the Pakistan Super League too. IPL gave Team India a lot of young cricketers in limited-overs cricket. They excelled in the IPL and then went on to play Ranji Trophy and for Team India. Pakistan needs to analyze why the bench strength that was there earlier is missing now".

His analysis also touched upon the structural differences between India and Pakistan's cricketing frameworks. The Indian Premier League (IPL) was highlighted as a critical platform that has facilitated the emergence of young talents in India, contributing significantly to the national team's depth. In contrast, despite having the Pakistan Super League, Pakistan has not seen a similar influx of young talent making an impact on the international stage. Gavaskar's critique calls for introspection within Pakistan's cricketing circles to identify and rectify the shortcomings in their system.