Gautam Gambhir takes a dig at Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma with bold 'team-centric' message after Oval Test win

Gautam Gambhir finally got a moment to breathe as India’s Test head coach after the young team pulled off a thrilling six-run win against England in the fifth and final Test at The Oval. With the victory, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy ended in a 2-2 draw on August 4.

On the final day, England needed just 35 runs to win, with four wickets in hand. But Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna turned the match around. Siraj picked up three of the last four wickets to seal the game, finishing with a five-wicket haul in the second innings at The Oval.

Gautam Gambhir breathes easy as India draws England Test series 2-2

With nine wickets in the final Test, Siraj was named Player of the Match. He also finished the tour as the leading wicket-taker with 23 scalps from five tests against England. This victory was especially important for Gambhir, who had been under pressure due to India’s struggles in the previous Test series.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Read Also: Ravichandran Ashwin attacks Ben Stokes over nonsense take on injury subs as 'Karma' strikes England

Before the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, India was whitewashed by New Zealand at home, and then they failed to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Well, India might not have won the Test series in England, but it was a great success under Shubman Gill.

It was Gill’s first assignment as India’s Test captain, and that too without senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who have all retired from Test cricket. But the young Indians didn’t give up; instead, they showed heart, character, and teamwork throughout the Test series.

Gautam Gambhir declared the beginning of a new team-centric era

After India’s successful tour of England ended at The Oval, Gautam Gambhir has made it clear that the new era will not revolve around big names but around teamwork, hard work, unity, and performance. Without naming Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the head coach said that the Indian team was moving on from the era of superstar-led dominance.

Gambhir praised the young players for their fearless attitude and fighting spirit on the England tour, subtly taking a dig at the older generation who got all the limelight for the team’s success. The coach also said that Shubman Gill and his team truly deserve the victory and applause.

Read Also: Gautam Gambhir to force Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma into ODI retirement!! 'Professional conversations' incoming

Gautam Gambhir said in a video posted by BCCI on its website: “It's going to be the ideology of this Test team, where it won't be about being individual-centric; it will be about the team. The way the boys have fought. I've always been a big believer that you should always get what you deserve, not what you want. And I think the guys deserved it.”

Shubman Gill ecstatic after drawn Test series, praises team effort

On the other hand, Shubman Gill was full of joy after drawing the Test series. As captain, he loved seeing everyone contribute. He was also pleased with his own batting and the way the series turned out. Notably, Gill was the leading run scorer with 754 runs across the 10 innings.

Gill said, “I'm feeling very ecstatic and high right now and very happy with the way everyone performed. Very happy with the way everyone contributed throughout the series. Different people stepping in at different moments. This is what you want as a captain, and I'm very happy with the way I performed as a batter as well.”