With most of the Indian batsmen coming under the scanner for their lack of application in the series Down Under, Sunil Gavaskar has said it would be unfair to blame the IPL for the players' shortcomings.
India lost their second consecutive Test by an innings at Perth as Australia claimed a 3-0 series victory with one Test to go.
Gavaskar said the Indian Premier League could not be blamed for the players' shot-making in the ongoing series. "I don't think so that for batting style, IPL should be blamed," said the former India skipper to NDTV.
"These cricketers have scored a lot of runs in the Ranji, which is first class cricket and then they are selected to play for India at Test level. If IPL is the reason, why is David Warner scoring runs?" asked Gavaskar.
"The batsmen of other (international) teams are also scoring runs so is it that only Indian batsmen are suffering because of IPL?
Has VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar's technique been affected or for that matter of Virender Sehwag and Guatam Gambhir?
"It's only that in the last two (foreign) tours they have not played to their potential," he said.
Gavaskar also stated that while the shortest format of the game was high on intensity, it did not take a toll on the players physically.
"Blaming IPL for that is just finding a scapegoat. Jacques Kallis says that T20 format is easiest on the body.
"Then BCCI has a rule that Indian players will not play more than 14 matches," he added.
Gavaskar insisted that it was vital the team management put their heads together ahead of the final Test at Adelaide if they want to do a better job.
"The team management needs to sit down with Dhoni and analyse. You need to think, if you need to go in with an extra bowler, then you must drop a batsman and play R Ashwin.
But they have to look at the pitch before making a decision but they have to take hard decisions," he said.