India legend Sunil Gavaskar on the possible reasons why India lost the first Test

It has been two days since India's harrowing loss against England in the first Specsavers Test match of the five-game series, and several questions have been raised in general of the squad, especially considering that they were in a position to win on several occasions, before surrendering meekly to the hosts. As different people point out varying reasons as to why India might have lost, former India great Sunil Gavaskar has come up with his theories as well.

Gavaskar chiefly doubted the team management's strategy of meting out “stimulated training” to the cricketers instead of making them play actual cricket matches for practice. He said that in any series, especially those involving unfamiliar overseas conditions, match practice is key to fine performance in the actual games.

He added that a single 3-day game against Essex played a few days prior to the series might not have accounted for any help for team India. "When you take throwdowns and get out, you still bat. That will make a player less competitive as opposed to matches where once he gets out, he gets out," he summed up.

While Virat Kohli did well to almost save the game, every other batsman exhibited questionable technique and temperament, so much that they could not benefit from a fantastic display by the bowlers that restricted England to scores of 287 and 180.

Gavaskar said that while Kohli may have the ability to display fine skills even with too many off days in-between games, the others may not be so. "He (Kohli) is exceptional, he can rest for 15 days and come back to score hundreds, but I don't agree with the five-day rest period in terms of others as they may have shown the result of lacking practice," he explained.

He added that the Indian squad might just have deluded everyone by claiming that they were in England for a month, as he felt that it may not have helped the team as much as they think it has, because in due time they were playing limited-overs cricket with the white ball, which doesn't produce movement as much as the red Duke Test balls.

"It seems they learned nothing from the 2 - 1 loss against South Africa (earlier this year)," he turned bitter, before adding, "they may win after two Tests but the series may have been gone by then."

Gavaskar also spoke on what he felt was an error in Kohli's judgement as captain. "If I were taking a side to play in England, I would have gone with six batsmen upfront. That way, combined with Ashwin's all-round abilities, I would have got seven players to post a good score. If the top-4 flourishes, I will go with just five batsmen from the next game. Kohli should have done the same instead of going with just five batters in the first game itself. In the early matches, the onus should be on strengthening your batting," he concluded.

India's next game begins on August 9th, at the Lords, London.