Under the leadership of head coach Gautam Gambhir, the Indian cricket team has adopted an aggressive approach, prioritizing fearless play and strategic decision-making for the team’s success. Gambhir believes that the advent of T20 cricket will reduce the frequency of draws in Test matches.
“Draws are boring. With T20 cricket around, I don’t think we will see a lot of draws in Tests,” Gambhir stated at a press conference ahead of the second Test against New Zealand in Pune.
The Indian team has kept its playing XI for the second Test under wraps, as is customary for the home team. “In any Test match, picking up a playing XI is always tough. It is always good to have competition,” Gambhir said.
New Zealand currently holds a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after their eight-wicket victory in Bengaluru. The defeat was a humbling experience for India, who had previously swept Bangladesh 2-0, including a rain-affected victory in Kanpur.
“Cricket, sports are a big leveller. If we have enjoyed days like Kanpur we had to endure what happened in Bengaluru. We didn’t show any intention to bat out the remainder of the two and a half days,” Gambhir said of the Bengaluru loss, where India was dismissed for 46 in the first innings, their lowest-ever total at home.
Winning the remaining two Tests is now the top priority for Rohit Sharma and his team before they embark on a five-Test series in Australia.
