Gavaskar: Would like the men to win WTC, ODI World Cup
Sunil Gavaskar, chairman of the jury for the Sportstar Aces Awards, spoke about his ambitions for Indian sports in 2023, the decision-making process for the Aces and more.
Published : Feb 23, 2023 08:08 IST
(File) Sunil Gavaskar hopes the men’s and women’s cricket teams can bring home some silverware in 2023.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that the opportunity to brush shoulders with elite athletes has lifted the standards of Indian sportspersons in the past decade.
“It is the availability of watching top stars in the world, to also be able to participate in competitions with them, learn their training methods and how they sustain their championship mode that has helped the Indian athletes elevate themselves,” said Gavaskar, the chairman of the jury for the Sportstar Aces Awards.
The desire
“When you see a champion being felicitated, you also want to be one. And when your athletes are improving their personal bests, that is when you know everything is on the right track,” said Gavaskar.
The year gone by was a rocky one for Indian men’s cricket with underwhelming campaigns at the Asia Cup and ICC T20 World Cup.
Gavaskar hoped things will change this year. “There are two titles that I’d like the Indian men’s team to win — one is the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup is the other.
“There is, of course, the Asia Cup in between these two. If that comes back to India, nothing quite like it,” he said.
With the women’s team all set to face Australia in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup on Thursday, Gavaskar expected a positive result from Harmanpreet Kaur’s side.
Stumbling block
“Australia has been a stumbling block for quite a while. The women’s team will need that one big win like the men’s squad in 2018-19 in Australia.
“If the Indian women manage to get past the Aussies and go on to win the World Cup, it will be a big boost,” said the legendary Indian opener.
The Sportstar Aces Awards, in its fifth edition this year, seeks to honour the best performances across the spectrum of Indian sports.
The event is powered by IDFC First Bank and supported by Indian Oil, India Cements, United India, Ramaiah University, Experimenta Science Center GD Naidu Charity, Finolex Pipes, LIC, BPCL, Samsonite, Big Basket, Nippon Paint, CRICHQ and Casagrand.