Following India's disappointing defeat against England in the first Test at Headingley, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has urged the team, led by stand-in captain Shubman Gill, to reassess their approach to practice and preparation. Gavaskar, known for his straightforward and insightful commentary, didn't hold back in his post-match analysis, advocating for a more focused and committed approach to training.

Gavaskar specifically targeted the concept of "optional practice" sessions, suggesting that they should be discontinued in favor of more intense and mandatory training. He emphasized that representing India at the highest level demands a commitment that goes beyond simply choosing whether or not to attend practice. According to Gavaskar, players should be striving to give themselves the best possible chance to succeed, and that requires dedicated and focused preparation. He advised the squad to take a brief break to recuperate but to immediately return to serious training.

"Next couple of days you can take off, but now seriously get into practice. Leave this optional practice aside. You have come here to play for India. So, you practice in a way so that you will give yourself the best chance," Gavaskar stated emphatically while speaking on Sony Sports.

Gavaskar even drew on the example of Cheteshwar Pujara, a player renowned for his unwavering dedication to practice. He recalled how Pujara would consistently attend optional practice sessions and put in the hard yards, often to the point where even the coaching staff would suggest he take a break. Gavaskar highlighted Pujara's work ethic as a prime example of the kind of commitment he expects from players representing the nation.

The defeat at Headingley was a painful one for India, especially considering the strong batting performances throughout the match. Despite five Indian batsmen scoring centuries – including Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant who scored centuries in both innings – the team was unable to capitalize on those individual achievements and ultimately fell short. England successfully chased down a target of 371, exposing some frailties in the Indian bowling attack and highlighting missed opportunities in the field.

Gavaskar, while acknowledging that the Headingley pitch was conducive to batting, pointed out that India's fielding was "pretty ordinary" and not up to Test standards. He suggested that missed catches and subpar outfielding had cost the team dearly, emphasizing the importance of all-round excellence in Test cricket.

India's head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the team and suggested the team will learn from their mistakes at Headingley.

Looking ahead to the second Test at Edgbaston, Gavaskar also suggested potential changes to the team's composition. He proposed the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav in place of Shardul Thakur, believing that the Birmingham pitch could offer some assistance to the wrist spinner. He also mentioned that Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair or Washington Sundar could be brought into the team depending on how the second test goes.

The next Test match will begin on July 2nd at Edgbaston.