India’s ouster puts World T20 format under scrutiny: Gavaskar

Colombo: India’s ouster from the World Twenty20 despite winning four of their five matches have raised questions over the tournament’s format, and former captain Sunil Gavaskar felt the ICC needs to have a look at the format.

“The heads at the ICC need to come together,” Gavaskar said referring to the format.

India were knocked out despite a one-run win over South Africa, even as the West Indies made their way into the semifinals despite winning just two games technically.

Asked if it would have been be a better idea to carry forward points, Gavaskar said, “You must remember that every time there is any tweaking done it would be done in such a manner that India does not go out. After the 2007 World Cup when India crashed out in the preliminary stage there were several sort of cancellations, huge loss for everybody concerned.

“And ever since that if you have a look at the groups that have been there India have always been grouped with at least one minnow. So it is given that India will beat the minnow. So that factor is always there,” he told NDTV.

Gavaskar was against the system of having both matches simultaneously at such stage of a tournament.

Even as some former players blamed skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the debacle, Gavaskar thought otherwise and said time has not come for change in captaincy.

“Not necessarily. I don’t think so. There were several instances of captains playing on. Mahela Jayawardene continued after Sri Lanka’s defeat in the 2007 World Cup (final). I think the only country that talks about captain is India. India somehow is so impatient with skippers.

“At times you tend to think of why bother being the captain at all, it’s better off just being a player. It’s a little bit harsh. We haven’t done well but we can’t blame the captain only.

“There are several aspects – I talked about athleticism aspect, fielding aspect. In a limited overs match where every run counts its the athleticism. Dhoni runs better than a lot of younger guys in the side.”

Asked if time has come for some seniors to be sidelined, he said, “It all depends. It’s a question of mental and physical adaptation. The experience of tackling pressure situation is invaluable. I don’t see any replacement.

“Look at the new ball bowlers, Umesh Yadav has the pace but he is maturing. It’s a matter of things clicking. When it comes to the crunch India have not delivered in the past one and a half year. Improvements in fielding and athleticism can help India.

“Good fitness means you are more agile, more athletic. It is not always easy to be at same fitness at the beginning of the season, but if it’s the same in December then it is worrying.”