India head coach Gautam Gambhir did a press conference ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, analysing the series loss against New Zealand, the individual players and concerns around them and talked on the strategies for the upcoming tour of Australia.
Gambhir cleared that the criticism around the team for the whitewash against New Zealand was fair, agreeing that they were outplayed in all departments.
“The learning is to accept that we were outplayed,” he said.
“I’m not here to defend myself. We were outplayed in all three departments. We accept the criticism with both hands.”
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Here are five key points for the Australia tour from the press conference:
Gautam Gambhir mentioned that Rohit Sharma’s participation in the upcoming Australia tour is still unconfirmed. In Rohit’s absence, KL Rahul is set to step in as the backup opener, offering reliability with his experience.
Rohit is expected to be absent for at least one of the first two Tests due to personal reasons.
Gambhir: “We have no confirmation as of now. We will let you know when we get more details, Hopefully he will be available. If Rohit is not available, we have got Easwaran and KL in Australia. We will take a call. Bumrah is the vice-captain. So, if Rohit is unavailable, he will take up the captaincy.”
Gambhir highlighted KL Rahul’s adaptability as a valuable asset for the team. Not only can he open, but he’s also comfortable batting at various positions like No. 3 or No. 6 and can even take up wicketkeeping duties if required.
Gambhir: “It is the quality of the man that allows him to play in some many positions. How many people can bat at openers, number 3 or number 6. You need quite a lot of talent to play these roles.”
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Nitish Reddy is a highly skilled player who can slot into multiple roles, much like Shardul Thakur. His readiness and skill set make him a reliable option to fill any gaps in the team’s lineup.
Gambhir: “Nitish Kumar Reddy has potential and is one for the future, for sure. We have picked out best players.”
When asked about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Gambhir expressed complete confidence in their form. He assured that both senior players remain in strong touch and are expected to be key contributors on the tour.
Gambhir: “I have no concerns over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli form. The hunger in that dressing room in important forme and I feel there is a lot of hunger. Ricky Ponting can look at Australian cricket [not have concerns around India’s senior player]. We have a lot of experienced players who have played in these conditions. Those inputs will be crucial for the young players. We have ten days of preparation ahead of the first Test. The transition period is something that you guys keep talking about. I think that shall happen regardless with time, but right now, we are focused on just the series ahead.”
Gambhir pointed out that he received a lot of criticism for Washington Sundar’s selection during the home Tests against New Zealand, before the spinner produced a sensational performance to outclass Ashwin and Jadeja. Similarly, he hinted at a role for Jurel for the upcoming Tests in Australia.
Gambhir: “You guys only criticized when we picked Washington Sundar. But, I think it is amazing to see the young players come into the own. They are the future of Indian cricket.”
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