Guwahati: Under immense pressure after suffering a 2-0 series defeat to South Africa, India head coach Gautam Gambhir said his future rests with the BCCI while pointing to the success the Indian team achieved during his tenure so far.
At the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, India were bowled out for just 140 in pursuit of an improbable 549 and suffered a 408-run hammering to suffer their second home series loss after a 3-0 defeat to New Zealand last year.
Gambhir’s coaching is under the scanner regarding the Test team’s recent poor performances, despite significant success in limited-overs formats. Under Gambhir’s reign, India has played six Test series so far, winning only two, while one ended in a draw.
“It is up to BCCI to decide. I have said it during my first press conference when I took over as the head coach: Indian cricket is important, I am not important, and I sit here and say exactly the same thing. Yes, people can keep forgetting about it.
“I am the same guy who got results in England as well with a young team, and I am sure you guys will forget very soon because a lot of people keep talking about New Zealand. I am the same guy under whom we won the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup as well.
“Yes, this is a team which has less experience and I have said it before as well that they need to keep learning and they are putting everything possible to turn the tide,” said Gambhir in the post-match press conference.
Under Gambhir’s tenure, India have now lost 10 of their 18 Tests, with the 408-run loss in Guwahati being their heaviest defeat in Tests by runs. Gambhir has faced mounting criticism in recent months for his frequent chopping and changing of the playing eleven and his preference for all-rounders over specialist batters and bowlers in the longer format.
“It lies with everyone in the dressing room and starts with me, to everyone in the dressing room. I have said it before as well that we win together, we lose together. So I am not going to be someone who is going to say that it lies with X, Y or Z. It lies with everyone sitting in that room, as simple as it can get. That is what team sport is all about.”
“Again, the buck should be stopping with everyone, as simple because yes, we need to apply better. At one stage, we were 95/1. I am sure you guys must be watching the game. From 95/1 to 120/7 is not acceptable and we keep talking about obviously spin, but then one seamer got four wickets in that spell and we have had these collapses in the past as well.”
“Someone needs to put their hand up and say that I am going to stop this, whatever you call it, the collapse. For me, I think that is something that was that 30-minute spell that obviously took us away from the game as well because at one stage on day three, we were pretty much in control of the game where we were 95/1. Then from there to lose five or six wickets for nothing on the board literally was always pushing us back,” he added.
Gautam further rejected any similarities between the series defeats to South Africa and New Zealand at home, adding that the batters need time to settle into playing Test cricket. “First of all, in the series against New Zealand, we had a very different side and this is a very different one. When you see this batting line-up against that batting line-up, the experience between the two is chalk and cheese.”
“So comparing everything to New Zealand is probably the wrong narrative. I don’t give excuses. I have never done that in the past. I will never do it in the future as well. But if you see 4-5 batters in this top 8 have literally played less than 15 Test matches and they will grow. They are learning on the job, on the field. Test cricket is never easy when you’re playing against a top-quality side. You’ve got to give them time.”
“So for me, I think that is something they will keep learning. Hopefully, they keep learning as that is important. Because I know that I hate using this word transition and this is exactly what transition is. When you have got a batting line-up which has literally played less than 15-20 Test matches, they need time to absorb pressure and have to keep getting better against quality attacks and against quality sides,” he concluded.
(IANS)
