‘Even proper batters fail’ - Gautam Gambhir defends Indian batters despite lower-order collapse

After the five-wicket loss in the Leeds Test, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended the lower-order batters despite their failure to create an impact with the willow in both innings of the Test.

Notably, India collapsed from 430/3 to 471 in the first innings to lose seven wickets for 41 runs, while they collapsed from 333/4 to 364 in the second innings to lose six wickets for 31 runs. Gambhir is of the opinion that if India had gotten 570-580 in the first innings, things could’ve been completely different. 

"If we could've got to 570, 580 in the first innings, we could've dominated from there," Gambhir said at the post-match press conference.

"Look, first of all, it's not that they weren't applying themselves. Sometimes people fail. And that's okay. I know it's disappointing. And more importantly, I think they were more disappointed than anyone, because they knew we had the opportunity. It's not like they're not working hard in the nets. These things happen. Even proper batters fail. Hopefully they'll learn, and hopefully we'll get better performances from our tail. And that is not the only reason we lost the Test match,” he added.

Furthermore, Gambhir also had his say on the Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah playing only two more games in the five-match Test series. He asserted that there will be no change in plans for the seamer as managing workload would be utmost priority for him.

"No, we won't change the plans. I think for us to manage his workload is more important because there's a lot of cricket going forward and we know what he brings on the table as well. Before he came on the show, it was already decided that he's going to play three Test matches,” he asserted.

"But let's see how his body turns out. We haven't decided which two other Test matches he's going to play. [Even without Bumrah] we absolutely have the bowling attack [to compete]. We believe in them. We trust in them,” he concluded.

Team India will next take on England in the second Test of the five-match series at Edgbaston in Birmingham, starting on Wednesday, July 2.

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