India head coach Gautam Gambhir has rejected suggestions that his Test side is struggling, insisting the team is going through a transition and that recent setbacks should not be mistaken for a deeper crisis.
With India preparing for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Gambhir pointed to the emergence of a new core around captain Shubman Gill and insisted that his focus remains firmly on winning trophies rather than worrying about rankings or outside criticism.
“My job is to win trophies. That’s what all I care for and believe in,” Gambhir said at his pre-match press conference.
“Rankings do not matter. We are not struggling. Since the England tour, we have played reasonable Test cricket.”
India’s Test side has undergone significant change since Gambhir took charge, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin all stepping away from the format. The transition has coincided with difficult results, including series defeats at home against New Zealand and South Africa as well as the loss in Australia.
Yet Gambhir believes those setbacks need to be viewed in the context of a team attempting to establish a new identity.
A TEAM TAKING SHAPE
There are already signs of that process beginning to bear fruit. Devdutt Padikkal has shown promise in the No.3 position, while Gill appears increasingly comfortable both as captain and at No.4.
Manav Suthar has also emerged as an exciting option in the spin department. After impressing in his first two Tests, the young left-arm spinner’s development could give India a long-term successor in a department that has undergone major change following Ashwin’s retirement.
Gambhir’s emphasis, however, remains on giving the players time to develop rather than making judgments based on isolated performances.
“There will be ups and downs in cricket, and we need to back our players and give them longer rope, and it’s not based on one or two matches,” he said.
That philosophy could also influence India’s selection in Colombo, particularly with Kuldeep Yadav and Saransh Jain competing for a place in the bowling attack.
Gambhir said the priority was simply to select the combination capable of taking 20 wickets.
“We will try to field the best bowling attack that can get us 20 wickets. Kuldeep is a good bowler and sometimes it’s up to the captain as well,” he said.
The comments come after Kuldeep bowled only 25 overs across both innings of the Galle Test, while Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja were used more extensively. Whether Kuldeep retains his place or Saransh receives an opportunity could therefore offer an insight into India’s thinking as the new-look side continues to evolve.
GAMBIHR WANTS THREE TESTS
Gambhir also made a strong case for longer Test series, arguing that three matches provide a better opportunity for teams to recover from setbacks and establish superiority.
“Three-Test series is ideal. Short turnaround is fine, we know how to manage our bodies and recover. We give optional practices and rest bowlers. I feel three Test series is ideal,” he said.
He added that a three-Test series allows a team that loses the opening game a genuine chance to fight back.
On the conditions in Colombo, Gambhir was satisfied with what he saw in Galle and hopes the next pitch offers another proper Test challenge.
“Galle was a good Test cricket pitch and we enjoyed playing there and hopefully the pitch remains same here. It was not a perfect Test match but that’s how Test matches are played,” he said.
For Gambhir, the second Test is another opportunity for India’s emerging core to demonstrate that the transition is moving in the right direction. With Gill, Padikkal, Suthar and others beginning to establish themselves, India may still be some distance from the settled side of previous years.
But Gambhir’s message is that the process should be judged over time, not through isolated failures. With trophies remaining his stated priority, the Colombo Test offers another chance for India’s new generation to show that it can deliver them.
– Ends
