IPL 2024: Sunil Gavaskar slams India’s pace hype, bats for ignored star

Indian fans and experts have a tendency to hype emerging pacers as the country seldom produces top class speedsters. However, many promising speedsters have soon gone into oblivion in the process while not being able to cope up the immense pressure exerted on them.

Take the example of Lucknow Super Giants’ emerging pacer Mayank Yadav. When Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 started, Mayank was being hailed as the breakaway star of this edition. He drew the attention of all and sundry by regularly clocking over 150kmph.

Same thing happened in case of Umran Malik a couple of seasons back. Though Umran broke fast bowling record in the IPL, the emerging pacer has been in the shadows in the IPL 2024. Mayank was also not the same force to reckon with after an injury kept him out for considerable time.

Amid the development, an ignored pacer and Rajasthan Royals’ veteran star Sandeep Sharma flourished with brilliant bowling during IPL 2024.

Though Sandeep went unsold in the auction and was inducted in the team as a replacement for injured Prasidh Krishna, he did not let that deter him. The veteran pacer has so far taken 13 wickets including a five-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians (MI). He has also an impressive economy rate of 8.18.

Meanwhile, former India great Sunil Gavaskar was effusive in his praise for Sandeep. The Little Master also blasted those who get impressed by express-pace in Indian cricket.

“In India, we start salivating whenever anyone bowls over 145. We say he is the next big thing. But bowlers need cleverness which Sandeep Sharma has. No one talks about it from the India aspect. He has been delivering consistently,” said the legendry batsman.