Team India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has responded to the heavy criticism regarding his disappointing record in Tests during his tenure. The former Indian opener said that constant practice on flat pitches makes it difficult to face spinners on turning tracks, especially in red-ball cricket.
The Men in Blue defended their T20 World Cup title by defeating New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8. Gambhir became the first Indian head coach to achieve two consecutive ICC titles. However, the team’s performance in red-ball cricket during the World Test Championship is a major concern.
You are bound to struggle on turning wickets – Gautam Gambhir
During an exclusive interview with Dainik Jagran, Gautam Gambhir was asked why Indian batsmen are constantly struggling to play quality spin bowling. Gambhir said that due to practice on flat pitches, Indian batsmen are failing to adapt to the turning track.
“We don’t play on those kind of wickets anymore. It’s not like you can play on the same kind of wicket all year and then suddenly adapt when the ball starts turning,” Gambhir said.
“In the past, when players would practice, they would do so on a “turning track”. Today, if you look at our net sessions, the wickets are very flat – almost like a T20 track. If you constantly play on a flat track, you will struggle on turning wickets.”
We will continue the fight in red-ball cricket- Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir also talked about the tough international schedule. He said the lack of preparation camps between different formats is a matter of concern and demanded a mandatory practice window on turning tracks before each upcoming Test series.
“So, I believe the most important factor is the nature of our preparation, especially for Test matches. Nobody talked about the two Test series we played recently, and nobody will. Just two days after the Asia Cup we were playing a Test match against West Indies; we only had two days to prepare.”
“When we returned from Australia, we had a Test series against South Africa just three days later. When you make the transition from white-ball cricket to the red-ball format, there should be at least seven to eight days of camp where we can practice on turning tracks. This is important.”
“If we don’t do that, we will continue to struggle in red-ball cricket. Going forward, there is a positive change coming: we plan to prepare for seven to eight days before each Test series. During my tenure so far, except for the series against Australia and England, we have not really got any time to prepare.”
Team India is struggling in Test cricket under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir.
Under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir, the national team faced serious challenges in Test cricket and the win percentage was only 36.84%. In 19 matches in the last 14 months, the Men in Blue have won seven and lost ten, while two matches have ended in draws.
The team suffered a tough series defeat against Australia and embarrassing defeats at home against New Zealand and South Africa. They also failed to advance to the WTC Finals in the last cycle.
After Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the longer format, young captain Shubman Gill took over the responsibility of leadership. However, the young team is still adjusting to competing against top-tier international teams. They are currently placed sixth in the WTC 2025-27 cycle with four wins in seven Tests.
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