Gautam Gambhir on India’s recent Test results: ‘We are not struggling’

In the wake of recent Test results, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir emphasized that the team was not actually struggling in red-ball cricket. He clarified that the decline in performance was merely a natural part of their transition phase. Gambhir stated that while rankings may not matter, the team was moving in the right direction. He acknowledged that India had been playing consistent Test cricket since the England tour and reiterated his focus on winning trophies rather than being swayed by external opinions.

Gambhir expressed satisfaction with the debut of young players like Devdutt Padikkal, who had performed exceptionally in the first Test. However, he cautioned against judging players based on a single or two matches, noting that there was still much work to be done to build depth in both white-ball and red-ball cricket. He believed that giving these players a longer rope would be beneficial for Indian cricket.

When discussing Kuldeep Yadav, Gambhir defended the wrist-spinner, emphasizing that India must select the best bowling attack capable of taking 20 wickets. He stated that while scoring runs is important, securing 20 wickets significantly increases the chances of winning a Test match. Gambhir highlighted that while Kuldeep is highly regarded, the decision to start or not start a bowler should ultimately be based on the captain's and management's assessment of who would be most threatening in any given situation.