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Ind vs Ban – Gautam Gambhir – Having Jasprit Bumrah in the team is truly an honor

India is in the midst of a fundamental change and it is partly because of Jasprit Bumrah. Ahead of his first Test series in charge, Gautam Gambhir touched on how he has started to make an impact outside of his cricket.

“It hasn’t happened many times in India where we started talking about the bowler,” said Gambhir. “I think it’s always been about batsmen, batsmen and batsmen. India at one time was a very batting-oriented nation. And you have to give credit to Bumrah, [Mohammed] Shami, [Mohammed] Siraj, [R] Ashwin, [Ravindra] Jadeja that now they are changing this goal to bowling… not to bowl the nation that is dying for itself that we started talking about with the bowler.”

Bumrah may have played only 36 Tests but his numbers are staggering. He takes five wickets (ten so far) almost once in three Tests and is the driving force behind India’s most famous victories – Oval 2021, Melbourne 2018, Visakhapatnam 2024.

“Bumrah is the best fast bowler in the world in all three formats. And it’s not just his performance, it’s his hunger. The best thing is that he wants to play Test cricket as well as he can.

“I think he’s done in the T20 format in the West Indies what he can do in red ball cricket, what he did against England. So I feel that yes, it’s actually not a luxury. I think it’s a real honour. that we have someone like Bumrah playing for us and sitting in that dressing room , we can make a difference at any stage of the game going forward as well.”

Gambhir: ‘Want India to adapt and learn fast’

Gambhir takes over the reins of the most successful Test team and although he has never been a coach at any level, he believes the relationship he has with the Indian players from his 12 years as an all-round opener will ease him. at work. There is no authority for himself except to win games for India.

“I have always believed that the best style is the winning style and we want to be a team that adapts and learns quickly, rather than adopting one style. Because if you start adopting one style, there is no growth. We want the guys to play the situation, the situations, and continue to grow every day. And that’s it what matters is all about the results. And the best, as I just said, the best style is the winning style.

Since this is India’s home season and the Test match against Bangladesh on Thursday will be played in Chennai, the focus will be less on the spinners. Gambhir explained how he will select them.

“It is obvious that first of all the impact they can create on the first day and the fifth day,” he said. “India have been very lucky that we have got people like Ashwin and Jadeja. They have bowled very well in tandem, and we know how they can contribute on day one. Because in Test cricket, the most important thing is that you have to be able to bowl defensively, and you have to be and bowling ability so I feel we will have a 20-wicket attack, and those two guys will make a huge impact on India’s conditions.”

India are yet to lose a Test against Bangladesh but Gambhir is careful not to let that get in the way of their preparations for the game in Chennai on Thursday. “You don’t change your momentum by looking at the opposition,” he said. “International cricket means, do you have that hunger every time, every hour, every ball? Because, in the end, when you play for your country, and when 15 other players play for their country, they will be good and anyone can beat anyone’s standards theirs.

“Bangladesh has some very good cricketers. Shakib [Al Hasan] gain experience. Mushfiqur [Rahim] gain experience. He has a very good bowling attack. Mehidy [Hasan Miraz] you are there again. So we know there is talent in Bangladesh. But the important thing is that we need to change from football to one. And that is what is expected of all of us in that dressing room. “

“The best style is a winning style and we want to be a team that adapts and learns quickly, rather than adopting one style. Because if you start adopting one style, there is no growth”

Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach

Gambhir is very excited about the talent he has to work with. “The best thing is, from seven to eight days, my first trip to Sri Lanka, I saw one thing, that all the players sitting in that dressing room, how much they love to play for India. We always say that the players love to play IPL But there is not much truth at the end of the day, if you represent your country, there is nothing better than that.

But switching between formats poses a challenge for them, especially in Test cricket. India, despite winning 17 consecutive series at home, were not immune to this. Batsmen are passing the bat when it comes to making big scores.

“This batting line-up is of such high quality that we can play against any opposition, any bowling team, any spin attack in any conditions,” said Gambhir. “We judge what happens [ability to play spin] more to look at T20 and one-day cricket; there is a difference between heaven and earth. In one-day cricket, you don’t get much time to defend. In test cricket, you have time to protect and make the bowler bowl your strength. But, in that, the most important thing is if you want to play well in Test cricket, how strong is your defence?

“We have played in the T20 format on so many good wickets that sometimes, it feels like you have to improve a lot of shots. But the foundation is defence. When we started, any boy was taught to defend. If your defense is strong, you can improve everything in that defence, But, if you think you have all kinds of shots and if you want to be a good cricketer, there’s no guarantee of that.”

Alagappan Muthu is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo


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