Gavaskar urged the system to place the team first regardless of player stature.
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has stated that Indian cricket must stop making individual names a priority, urging the system to place the team first regardless of player stature.
Gavaskar emphasized that cricket is a team sport, and focusing excessively on personal branding or individual records can detract from the ultimate goal of winning trophies.
As the national head coach, Gautam Gambhir has consistently spoken out against the media and fan obsession with specific "superstars," advocating instead for equal recognition of utility players, bowlers, and low-profile contributors.
Gavaskar’s comments came ahead of the Indian team’s two-Test tour of Sri Lanka, slated to begin on August 15 in Galle.
This series is extremely crucial for Shubman Gill's men as they aim to climb from fifth position in the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
“The two-match series in Sri Lanka won’t be easy, as Sri Lanka at home are a formidable team. Winning both these Tests would be a good start to the new Test season, as well as give the team the impetus it needs to qualify for the WTC Final," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
"To be able to do so requires loads of effort and also some luck, but, above all, the belief that Indian cricket should be the priority and not any individual, however big a name he may be," he added.
On a separate note, Sunil Gavaskar highlighted the immense global impact of the Indian Premier League (IPL), stating that its success proves the value of well-run tournaments. He noted that IPL franchise owners invest in foreign leagues, which helps raise cricket standards worldwide and supports other international cricket boards.
"Today, the IPL has shown the world what a well-organised tournament can do. The fruits of that success have spurred Indian franchise owners to venture into other countries and lift those countries’ cricketing ecosystems to a higher level than might otherwise have been possible," Gavaskar remarked.