England are overrated both in cricket and football: Sunil Gavaskar

England vice-captain Jos Buttler dejectedly leaves the field after the defeat to Bangladesh

England were eliminated from the World Cup after going down to Bangladesh by 15 runs in their penultimate group match, and Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has taken the opportunity to claim that the ouster of a ‘nothing side’ like England in the group stages does not surprise him.

“England are an overrated team. They are a nothing side.

“I think it would have been easier playing England in the quarters. Look at their form. England have won only one game.”

Gavaskar also downplayed the importance of the English national football side, saying that the actual competitive significance of English teams in both sports are much less than the hype surrounding them.

“Every time there is a World Cup in football too, everyone speaks how they will do this and that but at the end of the day, they are just an overrated team both in cricket and football."

England have never won the Cricket World Cup, and had won the Football World Cup once in 1966 – that too courtesy of a controversial goal awarded to Geoff Hurst.

Sub-continental supporters bring excitement: Gavaskar

Gavaskar lauded the Bangladesh side for having stepped up their game when it mattered, and their supporters for the loyalty they have shown for their national team over many years, despite not having been given much to celebrate.

“Mushfiqur Rahim has been the man for the occasion for Bangladesh. He has made tremendous progress since his debut and today, helped Mahmudullah while approaching his hundred.

“Bangladeshi supporters are brilliant. The sub-continental supporters are a class apart. They bring excitement to the game. The Bangladeshi supporters have been waiting for success for a long time and now finally, the team has stepped up",

The most loyal fans in the world have been given something to savour. #Bangladesh

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 9, 2015

England have imprisoned themselves in a cell so dark, so distant that no fresh light can reach it. The world has changed and they don't know

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 9, 2015