India are going through a transition phase in Tests following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has opened up on the transition that the Indian cricket team is going through and stressed that the First-Class format should be the most important one.
India, led by new captain Shubman Gill, are currently taking on hosts England in a five-match Test series. The series is level 1-1, with India having won the second Test at Edgbaston by 336 runs. This is India’s first Test series since the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in May.
Gautam Gambhir on India’s transition
“Probably this is the first time that the transition is happening in all three departments. I think for me, first-class cricket is the most important format back home,” Gautam Gambhir told Cheteshwar Pujara during a special segment on Sony Sports Network during the ongoing third Test at Lord’s.
As part of India’s transition in Tests, young batter B Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut in the series against England whereas Karun Nair returned to the India whites after eight years.
KL Rahul has opened the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ongoing series. Gautam Gambhir has often been bold with his team selection calls, but he reiterated that it’s about the team and not about himself.
“It is about fighting every day. And it is about representing the tricolor every day. Gautam Gambhir is not important. Indian cricket is important. Everyone has the right to have an opinion about the culture of that dressing room. And every opinion for me will matter,” stated the 43-year-old.
Ahead of the first Test against England, Gautam Gambhir had returned to India to be with his mother who was ill. He, however, returned in time for the second Test.
The former Delhi cricketer spoke on the importance of family, but also his commitment towards the Indian cricket team. “See, family’s role is important, but you have got to understand one thing. You’re here for a purpose. For me, I think every day is a switch-on moment,” he said.
India in Tests under Gautam Gambhir as head coach
Under Gautam Gambhir as head coach, India, however, have had a forgettable one year in Tests. India lost to New Zealand 0-3 at home in October-November 2024. That was followed by a 1-3 loss to Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series Down Under. That also meant that India failed to qualify for the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final, with Australia going through instead.
Coming back to the ongoing Test series against England, India will be looking to clinch their first Test series on English soil for the first time since 2007. The Rahul Dravid-led side had beaten England 1-0 in a three-match series that year.
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