Gambhir Backs India's Lower Order After Test Collapse, Cites Missed Chances and Bumrah Workload

Following a disappointing Test defeat against England at Headingley, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has voiced his support for the team's lower-order batsmen, despite their collapses contributing significantly to the loss.

India's batting lineup faltered in both innings, leading to a 371-run chase that England completed with ease.

India's costly dropped catches. © Getty

Key Innings Collapses Hurt India

Despite scoring a total of 835 runs and featuring five centurions, including Rishabh Pant with a century in each innings, India couldn't secure a victory. The main culprits were two dramatic collapses:

• First Innings: 7 wickets for 41 runs
• Second Innings: 6 wickets for 31 runs

These collapses transformed the game, allowing England to stay within striking distance in the first innings and setting a chaseable target of 371 in the second.

Gambhir's Perspective

Shubman Gill, who marked his captaincy debut with a century in the first innings, mentioned that the team was aiming for a target of around 435. However, Gautam Gambhir believes the game's momentum shifted much earlier. He stated that reaching 570 or 580 in the first innings would have given India a commanding advantage.

Despite the lower order's struggles, Gambhir defended their efforts, emphasizing that failure is a part of the game. He acknowledged their disappointment, stating, "Even proper batters fail." He hopes they will learn from the experience and improve their performances in the future.

Missed Opportunities in the Field

Another significant factor in India's defeat was their poor catching performance. They dropped seven catches throughout the match, with Yashasvi Jaiswal being a repeat offender. Ben Duckett, who was dropped on 97, went on to score a crucial 149, further highlighting the cost of these missed opportunities.

Gill admitted that the team had discussed the issue of dropped catches and recognized the need to improve in this area, especially on challenging wickets like Headingley.

No Excuses, Only Improvement

While acknowledging the team's youth, Gambhir refused to use it as an excuse for the loss. He emphasized the pride and responsibility that comes with representing India and the commitment to winning every game. He asserted that the team would approach each Test match with the mindset of securing a victory and winning the series.

Bumrah's Workload Management

Gautam Gambhir also confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah would only participate in two more Test matches in the series, adhering to a pre-determined plan for managing his workload. The decision on which two matches Bumrah would play was yet to be finalized. Gambhir expressed confidence in the team's bowling attack, even without Bumrah's presence for all the matches.