Aussie media an extension of team support staff: Gavaskar
Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has said not much attention needs to be paid to Australian media, since they are an "extension of the team's support staff". Gavaskar added the focus now needed to shift to cricket from off-the-field issues surrounding Australia's tour of India. Indian captain Virat Kohli has been mocked by Australian publications, besides digs at Indian pitches.
Taking a dig at the Australian media, former India cricket captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday said they should not be paid much attention as they are an extension of the team support staff. ('Disappointed' Steve Smith tags Virat Kohli's comments as 'completely wrong and rubbish')Also Watch: Can Virat Kohli's India maintain winning momentum vs AustraliaOn the Decision Review System (DRS) controversy that took centre-stage after the second Test in Bengaluru when Smith asked his teammates sitting in the dressing room balcony to help him in a leg before decision, Gavaskar said it was time, cricket became the focus. (Virat Kohli willing to put DRS controversy behind him)"Neither India captain Virat Kohli nor his Australian counterpart Steve Smith have said anything about the issue in between the second and the third Tests. Both captains had their say on the last day of the Bengaluru Test and now they have spoken ahead of the third Test," said the 67-year-old. (Clarke happy India, Australia resolved DRS controversy)"Nobody spoke anything in between about it but the media, otherwise there was nothing between them (Kohli and Smith). It is time look at cricket now. A lot of good cricket that was played in the first two Tests has been swept away because of this one incident." (Test of maturity for Kohli and Smith in Ranchi)Gavaskar added that the banter on field should be less with the mouth and more with the game. India pace spearhead Ishant Sharma, in the second rubber, mocked Smith by making faces at him which left captain Kohli in splits. (Hope Dhoni comes to watch the Test in Ranchi: Kumble)"There should be aggression but only in terms of cricket, not otherwise. Young players tend to misunderstand while expressing aggression and tend to do it with their mouths instead of the bat and ball. Talking on the field has to be brought down and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has to take a tough stand on it," the former India opener said. (Clarke, Ganguly expect aggressive cricket from Kohli, Smith)