“Stop Comparing Everything to New Zealand”: Gambhir Slams Media for Pushing Wrong Narrative
On Wednesday, South Africa became the second team to claim a clean sweep in India, a result that has certainly triggered concern. Both defeats have come under the tenure of head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In just over 12 months, two visiting teams have broken India’s dominant home record — and they did it convincingly. New Zealand ended India’s remarkable 12-year streak of not losing a home Test series with a 3-0 sweep last year. On Wednesday, South Africa became the second team to claim a clean sweep in India, a result that has certainly triggered concern.
Both defeats have come under the tenure of head coach Gautam Gambhir. However, Gambhir has dismissed any comparison between the two results. He explained that the team which lost to New Zealand was far more experienced than the current side.\
Gambhir Says Team Is Very Different From NZ Series
“First of all, the series against New Zealand had a very different side,” Gambhir said on Wednesday. “This is a completely different team. You (the media) cover a lot of cricket, so you know the difference in experience between that batting line-up and this one. The gap is huge.”
Gambhir pointed out that seniors like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are no longer part of Test cricket. Both retired earlier this year after India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia.
Young Batters Need Time, Says Gambhir
“So comparing everything to the New Zealand series is a wrong narrative,” he said. “Four or five batters in this top eight have played fewer than 15 Test matches. I don’t give excuses, but this is the reality.”
Gambhir defended the young players, saying they are still learning.
“They will grow. They are learning on the job and learning on the field. Test cricket is not easy, especially against a top-quality side. They need time to handle pressure and improve against strong attacks.”
He added, “I don’t like the word ‘transition,’ but this is exactly what it is. When your batting line-up has played less than 15–20 Test matches, they need time.”
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