India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has shed light on Team India’s disappointing show in the fourth Test match of the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Gambhir reckons it is imperative for his players to play according to the match situation and they must put their intent on the backburner if it is not the need of the hour.
India was in a shoo-in position to play out a draw at the MCG but they lost seven wickets in the final session. Rishabh Pant played a reckless shot after tea and it opened the door for the Australians. After the loss, the Indian team has been criticized by many cricket experts for their mundane performance in the fourth Test.
“I don’t want to talk about individuals. Everyone needs to do what the team needs them to do. Whether it is about batting out entire sessions or taking on an aggressive approach,” Gambhir said during the pre-match press conference.
“They all know where they stand. For four and a half days, we weren’t bad but one session. Yes, you can say we were behind and results matter. The reality is 2-1. But that is Test cricket. Who knows things could change upside down here,” he added.
On the other hand, India posted 369 runs in the first innings at the MCG after Nitish Kumar Reddy scored a fine century. Australia posted a par score of 474 runs and thus took a lead of 105 runs. Gambhir added it is crucial for them to post a good first innings score.
“We’ve got to fight out to score in the first innings. We had a decent one in Melbourne. Hopefully, we can take confidence to Sydney,” Gambhir added.
The fifth and final Test match between Australia and India will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 onwards.
