'Please find the truth and then point fingers' - Sunil Gavaskar criticizes rumour-mongering around Manchester Test cancellation

Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the rumour-mongers and the various speculations regarding the Indian team denying to play against England in Manchester deliberately. Notable, the fifth and final Test of the series at Old Trafford was cancelled after a Covid-19 scare in the visitors’ camp, leaving both BCCI and ECB to come upon a mutual decision of cancelling the encounter.

At the time of suspension, India led the series 2-1, having won the encounters at Lord’s and The Oval and losing at Headingley, while the series-opener in Nottingham ended in a rain-enforced draw. Things went smooth until the fourth fixture, when first India’s head coach Ravi Shastri tested Covid-19 positive, followed by Bharat Arun and R Sridhar, India’s bowling and fielding coach, respectively. Once assistant physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive on the eve of the final Test, the series was surrounded by clouds of uncertainty.

However, Gavaskar feels that such allegations that the Indian team did not want to play are completely wrong and should be avoided. In an interview with Sports Tak, Gavaskar said, “Our players worked so hard to lead the series 2-1. And in Manchester, their bowlers would have been aided… why wouldn’t they want to play? They would want to play the match because they can win the series 3-1. So, I will never believe that Indian players refused to play the 5th Test,” Gavaskar said.

“If these reports are true, then the BCCI needs to officially say, that Yes, our players said that they won’t play. Else, I would request not to make such claims without any proof,” he added.

How does anyone know the Covid-19 outbreak happened during the book launch: Sunil Gavaskar

Opening up regarding Ravi Shastri book launch event, which is being considered as a potential reason behind the Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp, Gavaskar said: “How does anyone know that it happened during the book launch?” Gavaskar asked. “Because even after the book launch, when players were tested, they were negative. From what I’ve heard, the tests that took place on the eve of the match were all negative. So, if none of our players were positive, what was the problem?”

“And reports that suggest the Indian players refused to play the match, I want to know who it was? These reports are only in English papers. They will never say or write anything good about the Indian team; they will always hold them responsible. Please find what is the truth and then point fingers,” he said.