A Gambhir Harmering
Guwahati: Under-fire India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday said it was up to the BCCI to decide his future after the Test series whitewash against South Africa but also reminded everyone of the success the team has achieved in his eventful tenure.
Gambhir was speaking after the humiliating 408-run drubbing at the hands of South Africa in the second Test here Wednesday, which gave the visitors a 2-0 series sweep.
“It is up to the BCCI to decide. I’ve said it in my first press conference when I took over as the head coach. Indian cricket is important, I’m not important. And I sit here and say exactly the same thing,” Gambhir was terse as usual at the post-match press conference.
“And yes, people can keep forgetting about it. I’m the same guy who got results in England as well, with a young team. And I’m sure you guys will forget very soon, because a lot of people keep talking about New Zealand (home series whitewash last year). And I’m the same guy who won the Champions Trophy, and Asia Cup as well,” Gambhir reminded.
The combative response to the question on his future aside, Gambhir said he would not try to dodge the blame for the debacle against a very well-prepared South Africa.
“The blame lies with everyone and starts with me,” he conceded in his first reactions after the 0-2 drubbing. We need to play better. From 95/1 to 122/7 is not acceptable. You don’t blame any individual or any particular shot. Blame lies with everyone. I never blamed individuals and won’t do it going forward,” he added.
Under Gambhir, India have lost 10 of their 18 Tests, including whitewashes against New Zealand last year and South Africa now at home.
Gambhir has also attracted criticism for frequent changes in the team and his inclination to focus on all-rounders at the expense of specialists in the traditional format.
He insisted that in Test cricket, a man with limited talent but tough mindset can trump prodigal talent on any given day.
“Red ball cricket is a completely different challenge to white ball cricket. There needs to be a different skill set. And more importantly, there need to be tough characters that are important to be a successful Test side,” the former southpaw said.
“You don’t need the most skillful and the most flamboyant players to succeed in Test cricket. You need the toughest characters with limited skills who will go on to succeed in Test cricket, irrespective of how the conditions and what the situation is,” Gambhir said.
