Gautam Gambhir grilled as Robin Uthappa raises serious questions over India’s WTC Final chances

Former Team India cricketer Robin Uthappa questioned head coach Gautam Gambhir following the team's loss against South Africa in the first Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Uthappa also raised doubts about whether the Indian team is good enough to reach the next World Test Championship (WTC) final clash.

Gambhir has been under criticism, with the team losing four of the last six Tests at home. The poor run has sparked conversations among fans about whether he should be removed. Notably, the team is a young squad, following the retirements of veteran players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Visiting Teams Have Far More Time For Preparation - Robin Uthappa

Robin Uthappa urged Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shubman Gill to assess the team amid inconsistent performances. Uthappa pointed out that India’s packed schedule leaves little room for focused development.

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"Visiting teams play lesser cricket than India and have far more time for preparation. There is too much cricket happening," Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.

"You are going with one size fits all and trying to produce results. There needs to be a sense of realism about the goal for the next two years," he added.

South Africa broke the drought by beating India in the opening Test. Notably, it was their first win in the country since 2010. The contest ended in under three days. India were bowled out for 93 while chasing a modest target of 124 in Kolkata.

Is This Team Ready To Get To The WTC Final? - Robin Uthappa Questions Gautam Gambhir

Robin Uthappa also raised doubts about India’s fast-bowling resources, especially for overseas conditions. He questioned whether the current squad has the depth needed to compete outside the subcontinent. He said that India lack a reliable third pacer to support Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

“Yes, you want to get to the WTC final, but is this team ready to get there? Who is really effective outside of Bumrah and Siraj? We are missing a third pacer. They are trying out a bunch of guys. In all honesty, we don't have a confirmed third fast bowler," said Uthappa.

India have four wins and three losses from eight matches in the current World Test Championship cycle. Australia lead the table with a 100% PCT after three wins. India are fourth with a PCT of 54.17. The Men in Blue need to secure more wins to stay in contention for the final.

India Don't Have Test Centres As a Country - Robin Uthappa

The former batter said that India are losing a major advantage with their recent failures at home. He added that scheduling Tests at random locations prevents India from building true home conditions or preparing pitches tailored to specific opponents.

“India don't have Test centres as a country. You are randomly playing Tests everywhere and trying to produce results in your favour. That takes away from the larger goal,” said Uthappa. “If you have Test centres, you can curate home advantage based on the visiting team. India are not doing that.”

Also read: India coach exposes huge 'anti-Gautam Gambhir agenda' after Kolkata Test disaster