Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was left deeply unimpressed despite East Zone’s massive win over South Zone in the recent Duleep Trophy 2026 final. East Zone won via first innings lead as the game ended in a draw after five days, with captain Ishan Kishan slamming 270 in the first innings. However, Gavaskar criticised East Zone for choosing to bat again despite a first innings lead of 372 and not going for an outright victory. Gavaskar stated that settling for a first innings win rather than trying to bowl out the opponent twice by taking 20 wickets is a mentality that is hurting Indian cricket.
However, instead of enforcing the follow-on and looking to go for a direct win, East Zone chose to bat again despite just over a day of action remaining. Ishan Kishan and co. settled for victory via the first innings lead, and the match ultimately ended in a draw. Gavaskar criticised the decision by East Zone to play it safe, stating that such calls prevents bowlers from getting the experience of taking 20 wickets in a match in first-class cricket.
Gavaskar Critiques East Zone’s Second Innings Strategy
Sunil Gavaskar has expressed disappointment over East Zone’s decision to avoid an outright win in their recent match, suggesting they unnecessarily prolonged their second innings. In his column for Mid-day, he noted that both captains chose to conclude the game earlier than scheduled, a choice he found troubling.
Gavaskar emphasized that relying on a first innings lead hampers India’s ability to secure victories, particularly on favorable pitches. He questioned how a team can learn to take 20 wickets if they don’t bowl in two innings during domestic matches.
Referencing India’s recent second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, he pointed out that Shubman Gill’s team was unable to clinch the win after failing to dismiss the opposition in the final two days. “India huffed and puffed on the last day of the second Test in Sri Lanka and couldn’t take the last four wickets for a victory,” Gavaskar remarked.
