India vs England 2021: Team India Shouldn't Think Much About World Test Championship Opines Gautam Gambhir

Updated - 22 Feb 2021, 01:21 PM

Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir. Image Credits: Twitter

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has opined that Team India should focus on every Test match and not think too much about the World Test championship in June. As many as three teams (India, England, and Australia) are waiting to reach the second finalist spot as New Zealand has already qualified for the World Test championship finals at Lords since Australia pulled out of the South Africa tour.

India needs to win one more test and a draw in the remaining test will take them to the final while England needs to win the remaining two Tests at Ahmedabad to qualify for the final. If the series ends in a draw of 1-1 of 2-2, then Australia will go through to the finals, and also if England wins the series 2-1, then Australia will make the cut. Australia will be hoping for England to do them favour which is a rare sight.

Akshar Patel, India
India. Credits: BCCI

“Every Test Match Is Important” –  Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir has told that every test match is important for Team India and qualifying for the World Test championship should not be the only focus. The pink ball Test is scheduled for February 24 at Motera, Ahmedabad and India needs to make sure that England doesn’t use the seaming friendly conditions to its advantage. Gambhir added that it is going to be a tough battle between the two sides in the third Test.

“Every Test match is important, one should not keep on thinking about the World Test Championship. The team should focus on this pink-ball game. I think it would be a good Test match,” Gautam Gambhir told ANI.

ICC World Test Championship (Getty Images)
ICC World Test Championship (Getty Images)

“It Is Too Far Ahead Still” Reckons Rohit Sharma

Indian top-order batsman Rohit Sharma had told Team India is focused on the particular test and not on the outside but expressed his desire to qualify for the World Test championship finals. He added that the process to qualify has to be done step by step as the road ahead is still too far. He hoped to come well in the two Tests and qualify for the finals.

“To be honest, when we are playing the game, the focus is not on the outside. We want to qualify for the WTC finals, but we still to do a lot of things right to be there. We will be very happy to qualify for the WTC finals, but there are little steps that we need to take before we reach the finals. It is too far ahead still, we have got two Tests to play before that, we will see what happens after that,” said Rohit Sharma during a virtual press conference on Sunday.

gautam gambhir
Gautam Gambhir. [photo: Getty Images]
Gautam Gambhir had played 58 Tests for India scoring 4154 runs at an average of 42 with 9 centuries.

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Gautam Gambhir ICC World Test Championship Rohit Sharma