‘How does a team learn to take 20 wickets?’ – Sunil Gavaskar slams domestic cricket format

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‘Ek team 20 wickets lena kaise seekhegi?’ – Sunil Gavaskar ne domestic cricket format par uthaye sawaal (Photo credit: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

[**Sunil Gavaskar**](https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/sunil-gavaskar/) ne India ke domestic cricket structure par chinta jatayi hai, aur Duleep Trophy 2026 ke final ka example dete hue bataya hai ki kaise maujuda format teams ko Test matches mein 20 wickets lene ke liye zaroori skills develop karne se rokta hai. East Zone ne apni pehli innings mein 708 runs ka vishaal score banaya, jisme Ishan Kishan ne 270 runs ki behtareen innings kheli, jiske baad South Zone ki team 336 runs par dher ho gayi. Iske baad East Zone ne apni second innings mein 100 overs aur batting ki aur 7 wickets khokar 388 runs banaye.

Yeh match dono captains ki aapsi sehmati ke sath scheduled time se pehle hi khatam kar diya gaya, jiske baad Gavaskar ne domestic format ki kadi aalochana ki. Gavaskar ke mutabik, India mein first-class cricket ka structure teams ko poore do-innings ke matches khelne ke liye protsahit nahi karta, jo unke hisab se highest level par bowling skills ko behtar banane ke liye behad zaroori hai.

‘Sabse niraashajanak baat yeh thi ki East Zone outright win ke liye nahi gayi aur unhone apni second innings ko bina kisi wajah ke behad lamba kheencha. Dono captains ka match ko scheduled time se pehle khatam karne par sahmat hona bhi sahi nahi lagta. Agar game ko jaldi hi rokna tha, toh ise lunch ke waqt hi kyun nahi roka gaya, jab yeh bilkul saaf tha ki bache hue do sessions mein South Zone kabhi bhi 650 runs se zyada ka target chase nahi kar payegi,’ Gavaskar ne Mid-Day ke apne column mein likha.

‘Yeh jo first innings ki lead ko hi kaafi samajhne ka trend hai, yahi sabse bada kaaran hai ki India achhi pitches par 20 wickets lene ke liye struggle karti hai. Koi team 20 wickets lena kaise seekhegi agar woh domestic game ki dono innings mein bowling hi nahi karegi? India ne Sri Lanka ke khilaaf doosre Test ke aakhiri din bohot jor lagaya lekin jeet ke liye aakhiri chaar wickets nahi le saki,’ unhone aage joda.

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### Gavaskar Ne Diya Second-Innings Ke Experience Par Zor

[**Sri Lanka**](https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/sri-lanka/) ke khilaaf India ki do-matchon ki Test series mein team clean sweep karne se chook gayi thi. Sri Lanka ne apni second innings mein 81 overs se zyada batting ki aur 9 wickets par 429 runs banakar aakhiri din India ko jeet se rok diya. Is performance ne un challenges ko darshaya jo India ko flat pitches par pressure ke dauraan wickets lene mein aate hain.

‘Jaise ek batter ko 20 aur 30 runs se half-century tak pahunchne aur 70-80 runs se century banane mein waqt lagta hai, vaise hi second innings mein 10 wickets kaise lene hain, yeh samajhne mein bhi samay lagta hai. Yahan stamina ka sawaal toh hota hi hai, kyunki chaar din ke intense cricket ke baad na sirf physical balki mental stress bhi bohot zyada ho jata hai,’ Gavaskar ne likha.

‘Aur isse nipatna seekhne ka ekmatra tareeqa first-class level hi hai. Lekin, agar ek team jisne pehli innings mein ek badi lead le li hai, woh dobara field par aane mein bilkul dilchaspi hi nahi dikhayegi, toh kisi ko yeh experience kaise milega?,’ unhone aage joda.