Crediting Gambhir for Kanpur Test win is foot-licking of highest quality: Gavaskar

India vs Bangladesh: In a strongly-worded column, legendary Sunil Gavaskar said it was disappointing to see Gautam Gambhir getting credit for India's Kanpur Test victory. Gavaskar said India have been playing fearless and aggressive cricket under Rohit Sharma's captaincy.

In Short

• Sunil Gavaskar, in a strongly-worded column, questioned why Gambhir was credited for Kanpur Test win
• Gavaskar said Rohit Sharma deserves credit for India's fearless approach against Bangladesh
• India breathed life into a damp Test, winning it in less than six sessions of play

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar has said the credit for India's miraculous Test victory over Bangladesh in Kanpur should go to Rohit Sharma and not to newly-appointed coach, Gautam Gambhir. Gavaskar said India have been playing an aggressive brand of cricket under Rohit Sharma's captaincy for the last few years and suggested the label 'Gohit' for the aggressive approach.

In a strongly-worded column for Sportstar, Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disappointment at Gautam Gambhir getting credit for India's approach in the Kanpur Test, saying it's "foot-licking" of the highest order.

Gavaskar said India's approach was refreshing, but the monickers that people came up to associate with the approach were anything but. The batting great also opined why it's unfair to give credit to Gambhir just and reasoned why England attributed it to their head coach, Brendon McCullum.

"While the England batting approach changed completely under the new regime of Ben Stokes and McCullum, we have seen over the last couple of years that Rohit has been batting like this and encouraging his team to do so as well. Gambhir has only been coaching for a couple of months, so attributing this approach to him is foot-licking of the highest quality. Gambhir himself hardly ever batted in this fashion like McCullum used to do. If any credit is due, it is solely to Rohit and nobody else," Gavaskar wrote.

"Just as any scandal is now called this-gate or that-gate after the Watergate scandal over 50 years ago in the United States of America, this Indian batting approach was labelled this-ball and that-ball after the term “Bazball” was coined for the England team’s batting attitude. It was called this because “Baz” is the nickname of their coach, Brendon McCullum from New Zealand, who batted exactly as his team is doing — throwing caution to the winds in an attempt to score runs," he added.

MUCH-MALIGNED ICC DESERVES APPLAUSE: GAVASKAR

As Gavaskar highlighted, the Kanpur Test was headed towards a damp draw after two-and-a-half-days of the Test match was washed out due to rain and wet outfield at Green Park stadium.

Gavaskar credited the International Cricket Council for introducing the World Test Championship, saying any team would have looked at setting for a draw had it not been for the WTC points that were on offer.

"However refreshing and thrilling the Indian batting was in the Kanpur Test match, let’s face it: would they have batted in the same manner if there were no points on offer? The much-maligned ICC deserves every bit of applause for changing the perception towards every Test match by creating the World Test Championship," he wrote.

Bangladesh resumed their first innings at 107 for 3 as late as the morning session on Day 4. Indian bowlers came out all guns blazing and bowled out the visiting side for 233. India needed less than two sessions to go past Bangladesh's first innings total and secure a 52-run lead.

Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal set the tone for India, scoring the first team fifty in just 3.1 overs. India broke the world records for the fastest 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 as they scored at over 8 runs per over. Rohit danced down the track in the very first delivery he faced and hit a six and followed it up with another one. Rohit made just 23 from 11 balls, but his knock influenced the outcome of the game.

India managed to bowl Bangladesh out for 146 in the second innings and secured the win with a session left, leaving the world in awe.