As the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy draws near, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the team’s captaincy concerns for the opening Test match against Australia, set for November 22 in Perth.
Gambhir confirmed that if captain Rohit Sharma is unable to participate due to family commitments, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah will step up as India’s captain for the first Test. Rohit had recently mentioned his uncertainty about being available, citing personal reasons.
Discussing the team’s options, Gambhir shared that KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran are strong contenders to open for India if Rohit is absent. He emphasized the importance of preparation, especially with the challenging Australian conditions, saying the team needs about 10 days of focused practice to adapt fully.
“The main challenge is, of course, the conditions. Playing in Australia is vastly different from playing in India. If we can get solid preparation for 10 days before the series, we’ll be in good shape. We have experienced players familiar with Australian pitches, and their knowledge will be valuable for the younger players. By the 22nd, we should be ready to perform at our best from the very first ball,” Gambhir said.
India heads into the series with added motivation after a disappointing 3-0 loss to New Zealand on home ground, a defeat that has brought both Gambhir and the team under criticism. Addressing the feedback, Gambhir acknowledged the team was outplayed and expressed that the criticism is being accepted openly, motivating them to improve.
“We accept we were outplayed in all three areas. They were more professional, and we’re learning from that. The criticism helps us move forward and get better every day,” Gambhir stated.
Gambhir further mentioned his strong rapport with Rohit Sharma and remains optimistic for the upcoming series. “My relationship with Rohit has been fantastic. Despite recent challenges, we’re focused on winning this new series against Australia,” he added.
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