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Gavaskar urges India to let bat-ball talk in fourth Test
Former batting ace Sunil Gavaskar says India must put behind the James Anderson-Ravindra Jadeja episode and focus on the fourth Test against England, starting at Manchester on Thursday.
"I have always believed that it should be the bat and the ball that should talk on the field. I think the matter now should rest at what has happened. I don't think we should go on and on with it," Gavaskar said.
"I believe it is a new match referee for these last two Test matches. And if Ranjan Madugalle could do justice to the game of cricket and tell the players that from this game onwards no verbals should be heard from anybody on the field, it should give Anderson and other players a belief that you cannot get away with it.
"Let's put what has happened in the past to rest and look at the future. I know India will put all these behind them. This is what good players do. I am sure (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni and his boys will focus on the next ball," the former India captain told NDTV.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India had on Tuesday requested ICC CEO Dave Richardson to appeal against the verdict of Judicial Commissioner Gordon Lewis, who found both the players (Anderson and Jadeja) not guilty of breaching ICC's code of conduct during the first Test at Trent Bridge.
On Wednesday, the ICC rejected the BCCI's review plea on Judicial Commissioner's verdict, pronouncing Anderson not guilty in his altercation with Jadeja.
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'The secret is to play as late as possible at Manchester'
Gavaskar said Indian batsmen should look to play session by session.
"The secret is to play as late as possible at Manchester because the ball keeps moving in England and a lot of our batsmen keep pushing at the balls that they should be leaving. I think it is important to adapt the mindset to play session wise and not think about scoring 30s or 50s," said the former opener, who scored a century against England at Old Trafford in 1974.
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'I don't think if he comes, the team will be weaker'
Asked if India should include off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the team, Gavaskar said: "We need to go with the best bowling option. When other teams come to India they don't pick spinners because Indian pitches have turn, they pick the bowlers who can get the 20 wickets and that is what India should be looking to do.
"Ashwin is also good with the bat, don't forget that he has got two Test hundreds. I don't think if he comes, the team will be weaker. The bowling will get only stronger.
"Looking at Bhuvneshwar Kumar, if he is not fit then it makes sense to have an extra bowler in the team as India need to take 20 wickets. India have allowed England to pile up runs and bowling is an issue," he added.
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'If Bhuvneshwar is not there, then Varon can be drafted in'
Asked if Varon Aaron should be drafted in the squad as well, Gavaskar said: "If Bhuvneshwar is not there, then Varon can be drafted in; he will bring that extra pace and Pankaj (Singh) and (Mohammed) Shami are there. So, maybe, it can make a difference."
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'Gautam is likely to come into the team'
Experienced Indian opener Gautam Gambhir might also get a chance to play the fourth Test, as Shikhar Dhawan failed to score runs in the last three Tests.
"Quite clearly, when Dhawan is not playing well, Gautam is likely to come into the team. But the only thing is that he has not played serious cricket for a month. In the current schedule, where teams play long series with back-to-back Tests, there is no time for fringe players or the out-of-form players to get back to form," Gavaskar said.