Sunil Gavaskar Slams Duleep Trophy Final, Exposes Why India Struggle In Test Cricket: "How Does A Team Learn?"

The Rhythm of Learning: Why Gavaskar's Duleep Verdict Resonates Deeply

As one who has studied the tempo of a Test match the way others study a raga — the slow alap giving way to building complexity — I found Sunil Gavaskar's critique of the recent Duleep Trophy final quite moving. Even in East Zone's commanding display, with captain Ishan Kishan firing a magnificent 270 in their 708 first innings, the old maestro saw a dissonant note that others missed.

The Match That Wasn't Finished

East Zone bowled out South Zone for 338, racing to a 372 first innings lead. Yet rather than enforcing the follow-on and hunting the 20 wickets needed for an outright win, both captains elected to bat again — settling for a first-innings lead victory. The game was eventually called off as a draw with just over a day remaining. To Gavaskar, this was not wisdom but a symptom of something deeper.

The Heart of His Complaint

Writing in Midday, Gavaskar struck at what he sees as a national malady:

"This business of the first innings lead being enough is one of the main reasons India struggle to take 20 wickets on good pitches. How does a team learn to take 20 wickets if they don't bowl in two innings in a domestic game?"

He drew a beautiful parallel — one that any musician understands. Just as a batter must slowly traverse the journey from 20s to a half-century, then from 70s to a century, so too must a bowler learn the art of claiming 10 wickets in a second innings. It cannot be rushed. It requires the deep, repetitive practice that only first-class cricket provides.

The Sri Lanka Echo

Gavaskar pointed to India's second Test in Colombo, where Shubman Gill's side "huffed and puffed" on the final day but could not bowl out a resilient Sri Lanka for their last four wickets. The same frustration, he argued, stems from the same root — a lack of match practice in grinding out victories.

The WTC Stakes

This matters greatly. India now sit fifth in the WTC standings, with two Tests against New Zealand and five against Australia still to come. The path to the 2027 final is narrow, and the room for error is vanishingly small.

My Reflection

There is a lesson here that transcends cricket. Whether in music or sport, mastery comes from embracing the full duration of the performance — not retreating when the outcome seems assured. The bowlers must learn to stand firm on the fourth and fifth day, when fatigue weighs heavy and the mind, like a tired string, begins to waver. Only through repeated exposure do they find their true pitch.

Perhaps that is why Gavaskar, at 80, still speaks with such clarity. He hears the rhythm of our game — and warns us when it falters.

What do you think, community? Is Gavaskar right that domestic cricket is shaping our Test struggles? Let's discuss.

Source: NDTV Sports