Gambhir Defends India's Lower Order After England Test Collapse, Cites Missed Chances and Bumrah Workload
Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, has voiced his support for the Indian lower order batsmen following their recent struggles in the first Test against England at Headingley. Despite a strong showing of 835 runs and five individual centuries, including a century in each innings from Rishabh Pant, India succumbed to a 371-run chase by England.
The match was marred by two significant batting collapses, with India losing 7 wickets for 41 runs in the first innings and 6 for 31 in the second. These collapses proved crucial, turning the game in England's favor.
India's Target and Gambhir's Perspective
Shubman Gill, who marked his captaincy debut with a century in the first innings, revealed that the team had aimed for a target of approximately 435 runs. However, Gambhir believed that India could have sealed their dominance had they reached a score of 570 or 580 in the first innings.
Backing the Lower Order
Despite the lower order's struggles, Gambhir defended their efforts, emphasizing that failure is a part of the game. Shardul Thakur, selected as a bowling all-rounder, fell to expansive cover drives in both innings, while Prasidh Krishna was dismissed attempting a slog sweep.
"Look, first of all, it's not that they weren't applying themselves. Sometimes people fail. And that's okay," Gambhir stated. He acknowledged their disappointment and highlighted their hard work in the nets. He expressed hope that they would learn from the experience and improve their performances in the future.
Missed Opportunities in the Field
Another significant factor in India's defeat was their subpar catching performance. The team dropped as many as seven catches, with Yashasvi Jaiswal being a repeat offender. Ben Duckett, who was dropped on 97, went on to score a match-defining 149. Gill acknowledged the need to improve their catching standards, particularly on challenging wickets.
Gill said, "Chances don't come easy, especially on wickets like these, and we dropped quite a few catches. But I think we have got a young team, still a learning one, and hopefully, in the next matches, we'll be able to improve on those aspects."
No Excuses
Gambhir dismissed the notion that the team's youth was an excuse for the loss. He emphasized the pride of representing India and the commitment to winning every game. "Every defeat is bad. It's not about a young team or an experienced team. It's an Indian team," he said. "We will turn up every Test match thinking that we can win the test match and win the series."
Bumrah's Workload Management
The head coach also confirmed that pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah would only participate in two more Test matches, as per a pre-series plan to manage his workload. The decision on which two matches Bumrah would play was yet to be determined.
Gambhir expressed confidence in the team's bowling attack even without Bumrah's presence. He emphasized the trust placed in the inexperienced bowlers and their potential to improve. He added, "We believe and we trust that these boys will deliver for us."
