Gautam Gambhir calls on batsmen to convert starts, play Ranji Trophy to solve problems

Following the 3-1 loss to Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, India cricket team coach Gautam Gambhir has called on all India team players, including seniors like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, to play domestic cricket to return to form in multi-day format.

India’s batting failed in the series with both the senior players failing to get big runs. Rohit aggregated just 31 runs in five innings at 6.2 whereas Virat Kohli compiled 190 runs across nine Test innings at an average of 23.75. India failed to make the World Test Championship (WTC) Final.

“I would always like everyone to play domestic cricket. That is how much importance domestic cricket needs to be given. Not only one game. If they are available and they have the commitment to play red-ball cricket, everyone should play domestic cricket [matches]. As simple as it can get. If you don’t give importance to domestic cricket, you will never get the desired players you want for Test cricket,” said Gambhir during a press conference following India’s loss in the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The next round of Ranji Trophy matches take place from January 23. Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai play Jammu & Kashmir in Mumbai while Virat Kohli’s Delhi play Saurashtra in Rajkot.

Gambhir lamented lack of big scores by the India batsmen. India totalled 300 on only two occasions out of the nine completed innings they played. There were three centuries, two of which came in the second innings of the first Test at Perth through the bats of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli. Following that, only Nitish Kumar Reddy could get a score of over 100 and that came in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“Everything boils down to temperament. It is about how much you want to grind in Test cricket because Test cricket is all about playing the session, sometimes see off the spell as well. How we can convert 20s, 30s into 100s. Your bowling will always be under pressure if you can’t put those first innings runs on the board. That is something we need to look at.”

The 43-year-old, who played match-winning innings in the 2007 T20 World Cup final and 2011 ODI World Cup final, said he will leave the decision of retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on the two senior players themselves.

“I can’t talk about future of Indian cricket. It is up to them as well.  What I can say is that they still have hunger, still have the passion, they are tough people and hopefully they can continue to take Indian cricket forward. But as we all know whatever they play, they will plan for the best interest for the team.”

Tags : Gautam Gambhir, domestic cricket, Ranji Trophy, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Border Gavaskar Trophy, Sydney Cricket Ground