NEW DELHI: After the World Test Championship final aspirations were dashed in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar says it won't be a "surprise" if the Indian selectors make a "bold decision" in the forthcoming Test trip of England.
There was still possibility of making it to the WTC final when India's Test stronghold at home collapsed in an unbelievable 0-3 thumping to New Zealand.
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India's hopes of winning the WTC final, however, were dashed in Sydney as Australia brought the BGT home after ten years with a spectacular series finale. At the expense of India's place in the final, Australia maintained the opportunity to defend the WTC mace.
Concerns regarding the future of certain veteran Indian players in the Test format were raised by their deteriorating performances. The primary targets of criticism were India's captain Rohit Sharma and batting mainstay Virat Kohli.
Rohit chose to withdraw from the Sydney Test with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the line after considering his batting form. When the stakes were high and India needed their seasoned star to perform with the bat, even Virat faltered.
Gavaskar acknowledged he wouldn't be shocked if the selectors made a "bold decision" in the upcoming WTC cycle, given the expected changes for the England series.
"Now that India has failed to qualify for the World Test Championship final and the new cycle for the WTC starting with the tour to England in mid-June, it won't be a surprise if the selectors take the bold decision to start the qualification process by looking for players who would be there for the next final in 2027," Gavaskar wrote in his column in The Sydney Morning Herald.
Kohli scored 190 runs at an average of 23.75 in eight innings during India's 1-3 series defeat, and Rohit scored only 31 runs in the series' three Test matches.
