Ritesh Misra, Surat, 25 July 2024
Gautam Gambhir has been a highly successful opening batter for the Indian team in an international career spanning 13 years. His ODI career was from 2003 to 2013, while his test career was from 2004 to 2016, and he also played International T20 for 5 years from 2007 to 2012. He was successful in all the three formats and is a double world champion. He was the star batter for team India in both the 2007 T20 final as well as the 2011 ODI final.
He is now the head coach of the Indian team and his first assignment starts on the 27th of July with a T20 and an ODI tour to Sri Lanka. In an interesting development, the head coach Gautam Gambhir (Gauti from now on in this article), and the Chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, addressed the press on a variety of topics and clarified the reasons for choice of captain, teams, and the way ahead.
Before coming to the press conference and some of the interesting highlights, let us take a quick look at some highlights of his career. I am choosing only the extraordinary ones.
Gauti has 9 test tons, including 4 abroad. He also has 11 ODI tons. He has tons in 5 consecutive test matches, a feat achieved only by Bradman, Kallis, Yousuf Youhana, and Gauti himself. Two of these were in New Zealand, considered a terror tour by most (and especially openers). Four of these 5 were also in the 2nd innings, where pressure is often more. He has been ICC cricketer of the year, one of only 6 Indians, others being, Sachin, Virat, Sehwag, Ashwin, and Dravid. He has scored 50s in 11 consecutive test innings, a feat shared with only Viv Richards and Sehwag.
As mentioned above, Gauti has been a world cup final hero in both the 2007 T20 final and the 2011 World Cup final. As a captain, he took the team to a 5-0 win over New Zealand, which is fantastic, considering that NZ is a tough ODI team. He has also won an ODI vs West Indies, which means that he has a 100% win record as captain. He is a highly selfless cricketer and once dropped himself from captaincy and from the team itself in an IPL match, which shows that he puts the team over himself.
On 22nd July, before the team left for Sri Lanka, Head Coach Gauti, and Chairman of the National Selection Committe, Ajit Agarkar, addressed the press, and thereby also conveyed the thought process and plans ahead to the fans and followers. This in itself was a great step. Good job, former opening batsman and former opening bowler!
Gauti and Ajit also took care to explain some of the selection decisions, which the entire country had been pondering about for a couple of days. The first of course was the captaincy issue and why Hardik was “demoted”. The answer given was clear and logical, that fitness is an important issue, and they wanted a captain whose fitness is not suspect, and who would be available. Regarding Rohit and Virat, Gauti made it clear that they were world class and, form and fitness permitting, they would be there for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Here Gauti said something which clearly shows that as a coach he is not to be taken lightly. He said that with Virat and Rohit not playing T20, they will be available for the above two formats and he was clear that they had a lot of cricket left in them. What is also relevant is that it was almost certain that the two stars would have taken further rest for the series but Gauti wanted them to play, and they did, which is good as well. It was also hilarious that he was very clear that his relationship with Kohli “is good for TRP, but not public, and its between two mature individuals.” The answer that it was about representing 140 crore Indians and both of them wanted to make India proud was also phenomenal.
One more issue which Gauti dealt with was work load management and he was clear that for batters and bowlers the parameter will be different. Someone like our jewel Bumrah would certainly be kept fresh for important games, while batters, if in form, might as well play all games. The underlying message clearly was, “no pick and choose please.”
Regarding Jadeja, the duo said that he would be playing a lot of tests and that he has not been dropped. They made it clear that ultimately only 15 can be selected, and sometimes someone deserving just misses out.
Gauti gave respect to Dravid, saying that he has “big shoes to fill”, that he is taking over a highly successful team, and he would give the players freedom and develop a relationship based on trust. He was clear that his learning is simple and based on winning, and that he was in a profession where there is one winner, and he would like to come back to a winning dressing room, since a winning dressing room is a happy one.
All the best Gauti and wish you and team India a memorable partnership in the months and years to come.
