India’s singular focus over the next two months is on winning the five-match series in Australia and the players will not be distracted by the race to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final, head coach Gautam Gambhir said yesterday.
India were in pole position to make next year’s WTC final until a 3-0 whitewash by New Zealand earlier this month allowed Australia to leapfrog them.
Captain Rohit Sharma must now guide his side to a 4-0 win in Australia to guarantee a spot in the final, though their path could become easier depending on the results of other series.
“We are not looking at what’s going to happen in the World Test Championship, whether we are going to qualify (for the final),” Gambhir said in a pre-departure press conference.
“Every series is important, as simple as that, when you are playing for your country ...
“For us, it’s two good teams playing each other and we are absolutely keen to go out there and perform and try and win the series.”
India prevailed in their last two Australia tours but their batting looks less than formidable this time as they look to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The skipper is likely to miss the opening Test in Perth beginning on November 22 to attend the birth of his second child while stalwart Virat Kohli has been out of form.
The absence of the injured Mohammed Shami will also increase the workload on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who will captain India should Rohit miss the match.
Rohit’s absence would also mean Yashasvi Jaiswal would need a new opening partner and Gambhir was happy with his back-up options even though both Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul struggled in two unofficial Tests against Australia A.
Former India opener Gambhir hinted that Rahul’s 53-Test experience and his ability to bat practically anywhere in the order could tilt the decision in his favour ahead of the uncapped Easwaran.
“There are times when you go with the experienced players,” Gambhir said of Rahul.
“That is the quality of the man, that he can bat at the top of the order, he can bat at number three and he can actually bat at number six as well,” he added. Gambhir also backed ‘incredibly tough men’ Rohit and Kohli to prove their critics wrong and find form in Australia. Skipper Rohit and superstar batsman Kohli came under fire after India crashed to a humiliating 3-0 Test series home defeat to New Zealand. Rohit scored 91 runs in three matches. Kohli made just 93. Speaking just before India flew off to Australia for a blockbuster five-match Test series, Gambhir said he had “no concerns for Virat and Rohit”.
“They are incredibly tough men,” he said.
“They’ve achieved a lot for Indian cricket and they will continue to achieve a lot in the future as well.”
Gambhir hit out at Ricky Ponting after the former Australia captain questioned the longer-term form of the two senior batsmen. “What does Ponting have to do with Indian cricket?” Gambhir said.
Gambhir said the Indian team as a whole were eager to prove themselves after the New Zealand defeat, only their second Test series whitewash at home.
“I feel there is a lot of hunger, especially after what has happened in the last series,” he said.
Gambhir believes the biggest challenge in Australia will be the quicker pitches compared to India, where conditions are traditionally spin-friendly.
But Gambhir said his under-the-cosh side were ready to “fire from ball one” in a series that starts in Perth on November 22.
“We’ve been to Australia many times, so that experience will be crucial,” said the coach, who has also faced some flak.
“If we play to our potential, we play our best cricket, we can beat anyone on any wicket.”
