Sunil Gavaskar Blasts Cricket South Africa Over Rain Woes

Sunil Gavaskar’s Verbal Thunderstorm

In a fiery exchange following the washout of the first T20I between India and South Africa, cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar has launched a scathing critique on Cricket South Africa (CSA), holding them responsible for the persistent rain-related delays. The match, crucial for both teams ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, was abandoned due to unfavorable weather conditions, leaving fans and players disappointed.

Rain Plays Spoilsport in Key T20 Encounter The clash, captained by Suryakumar Yadav for India and Aiden Markram for South Africa, unfolded at Kingsmead in Durban on Sunday, December 10. However, rain intervened, causing a delayed toss and an excruciating two-hour wait before the umpires reluctantly decided to call off the match. This development is particularly disheartening for both teams as they have limited opportunities to fine-tune their squads for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Gavaskar’s Outspoken Criticism of Cricket Boards Worldwide Sunil Gavaskar did not hold back in expressing his frustration, laying blame on cricket boards worldwide, including CSA, for not investing in proper ground covers. In a candid interaction on Star Sports, the Indian cricket legend criticized the lack of initiative to ensure complete ground coverage during rain delays.

Gavaskar emphasized, “If the ground remains uncovered and the rain stops, you know it doesn’t start for another one hour. Suddenly it rains again. So there’s no play whatsoever. Everybody (cricket boards) is getting a lot of money. Let’s make no mistake. All the cricket boards have got plenty of money. If they say they don’t, they are lying.”

Reflecting on the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Gavaskar drew attention to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, hosted by England, where several matches faced disruptions due to incomplete ground covering. The cricketing maestro reminisced, “So many World Cup matches in England (2019) did not take place because the ground was not covered. The rain had stopped, but the rest of the ground was, you know, wet.”

He highlighted that the failure to cover entire grounds results in teams losing crucial points, adversely impacting the tournament’s integrity. This reflection brings into question the preparedness and commitment of cricket boards across the globe to handle such situations effectively.

A Call for Accountability and Proactive Measures Gavaskar urged cricket boards to be accountable and invest in full ground covers to avoid unnecessary delays. Drawing from his experience, he referenced an incident at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, where proactive measures were taken to address similar issues.

“What the boards need to do now is to cover the entire ground. Let’s have no excuse. I remember there was one Test match at Eden Gardens called where there was some problem, and the game didn’t start. Next game, Eden Gardens had the entire ground covered. That is the kind of initiative that you want to have,” Gavaskar emphasized.

Looking Ahead: Impact on Upcoming Matches and Cricket’s Integrity As India and South Africa gear up for the next clashes on December 12 and 14 in Gqeberha and Johannesburg, the controversy surrounding inadequate ground covering threatens to linger. Sunil Gavaskar’s strong opinions bring the issue to the forefront, raising questions about the preparedness of cricket boards and the potential impact on the integrity of the game.

The cricketing world now watches with bated breath as players, officials, and fans await a resolution to the rain-related woes. Will Gavaskar’s vocal criticism spur cricket boards into action, ensuring that such situations are better handled in the future? Only time will tell, but for now, the echoes of Gavaskar’s verbal thunderstorm resonate, urging cricket administrators to rethink and revamp their strategies for managing weather-related disruptions.