Gambhir Rallies Behind Sharma and Kohli

Gautam Gambhir expressed unwavering confidence in India's senior batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as they gear up for the high-stakes five-Test Border-Gavaskar series in Australia. This series, crucial for India’s World Test Championship qualification after a surprising 3-0 series loss to New Zealand at home, has intensified scrutiny around the duo’s recent performance. Both Sharma and Kohli managed only a single half-century across ten innings combined in recent matches against New Zealand and Bangladesh.

Sharma's recent form has been concerning, tallying just 133 runs with an average of 13.30 across these ten innings, while Kohli fared slightly better, scoring 192 runs with an average of 21.33. Adding to the conversation was India’s first home series defeat in 12 years, including a 3-0 whitewash, a rarity in their cricketing history.

When questioned at a press conference about the duo’s form, Gambhir dismissed any worries, stating he held “no concerns” over Sharma and Kohli’s abilities. He emphasised their resilience, acknowledging their significant contributions to Indian cricket and their ongoing dedication. Gambhir remarked that their hard work, passion, and determination remain as strong as ever, suggesting a deep hunger for success in the team, especially after recent setbacks.

Criticism, however, has weighed more heavily on Kohli, whose last Test century dates back 16 months to the West Indies series, compared to Sharma, who began the year with two centuries against England. Over the past five years, Kohli’s performance has dipped, with just two centuries in 60 innings, dropping his overall Test average from nearly 55 in November 2019 to 47.83. With Kohli now 36 and Sharma 37, conversations around India’s future Test lineup have naturally begun, as other senior players like R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja also near retirement age.

However, Gambhir dismissed the notion of a “transition phase” for the team, stressing that the focus remains solely on the upcoming Australian series. According to Gambhir, discussions of transition are irrelevant as long as the senior players show “hunger and fire” for success, suggesting that Indian cricket will adapt and evolve as needed. The immediate priority, he emphasised, is the challenging five-Test series ahead.

Reflecting on the recent loss to New Zealand, Gambhir acknowledged that India had been outplayed, but they accept the criticism as an opportunity to improve. He noted that while India hadn’t played their best cricket recently, the team was eager to embrace the new challenge in Australia. Gambhir highlighted the importance of solid preparation in the ten days leading up to the series, pointing to the wealth of experience among players who have played in Australia as an advantage that could greatly benefit younger team members.

By the morning of the series opener on the 22nd, Gambhir expressed confidence that the team would be fully prepared to compete at their highest level.