The once-feared West Indies cricket team seems to have lost its firepower, and former India captain Sunil Gavaskar didn’t hold back in saying so. After India’s dominant innings and 140-run victory in Ahmedabad, Sunil Gavaskar expressed disappointment at the quality of the visiting team’s bowling and batting, comparing it unfavorably to the mighty Caribbean sides of the past.
In the first Test, West Indies were bowled out for just 162 runs, with India’s fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah doing most of the damage. India then piled up a massive 448 for 5 before declaring, leaving the visitors chasing shadows. When they returned to bat, West Indies folded again for only 146 and the match ended within two and a half days, a one-sided affair that underlined the gulf between the two teams.
Reflecting on the match in a column for a sports magazine, Sunil Gavaskar said the West Indies pace attack lacked the menace it was once famous for. He felt that apart from Jayden Seales, the rest of the bowlers seemed trundlers, more like net bowlers rather than international bowlers.
He wrote that it was surprising to see the first bouncer of the innings come only after several overs, adding that even though bowling short balls in Indian conditions can be tiring, it remains an important part of a fast bowler’s arsenal. His remarks weren’t meant to insult, he clarified, but to highlight how far the current West Indian bowling had fallen from the days of fearsome quicks like Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts and Michael Holding.
Sunil Gavaskar also lamented the decline in the West Indies batting lineup, noting that none of the present players come close to the legends he once played against. He recalled the era of greats such as the Three Ws — Weekes, Worrell, and Walcott, along with Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Viv Richards, and Brian Lara. He said that those players were extraordinary talents who defined generations, something he does not see in today’s team.
As India and West Indies prepare for the second Test in New Delhi from October 10 to 14, Sunil Gavaskar’s words serve as both criticism and nostalgia, a reminder of the time when West Indies cricket was a symbol of power, pride, and fearlessness.
