Gautam Gambhir defends pacers after setback in first Test against England
India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has called on fans and critics to refrain from forming quick judgments about the young Indian bowling attack after every Test match. In the Leeds Test, India found themselves on the back foot, unable to defend a daunting target of 371 runs in the fourth innings. While Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj managed to make some impact, the rest of the Indian pacers struggled to break through, especially against the aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach of the English batters.
Despite the setback, Gambhir stood by the Indian pacers, pointing out that players like Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, and Arshdeep Singh are still in the early stages of their careers in red-ball cricket. He emphasised the need to give these bowlers time to mature and realise their full potential.
In the post-match press conference, Gambhir stated, “This pace attack consists of one bowler who has played four Tests (Prasidh Krishna), another with only two (Harshit Rana), and one who is yet to play a Test (Arshdeep Singh).”
The head coach backed India’s fast bowlers, stressing their talent and long-term potential if given consistent support.
His comments followed Prasidh Krishna’s underwhelming performance, where he leaked over 6 runs per over, giving England an advantage. With Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, and Arshdeep Singh on standby, they could get a chance in upcoming matches.
He further added, “In ODIs, it’s not as significant, but places like England and Australia are tough for bowlers. It’s like throwing them into the deep end. If we start judging bowlers after every Test, how will they ever develop?”
“Apart from Bumrah and Siraj, there’s not much experience in the squad, but we have to support these bowlers because they have the talent and quality. That’s why they are part of this team. It’s about building a pace battery that will serve India for the long term, not just for this tour,” he concluded.
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