'Our skill hasn't gone down': Gautam Gambhir refuses to acknowledge India's spin struggles

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has spoken up on his team's constant struggles against spin bowling. Gambhir refused to admit the deterioration of the skills of Indian batters against spin and claimed that they are working hard in the nets to improve.

Indian batters have found it tough to face spinners on turning pitches recently. Most recently, New Zealand's left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner tore apart India's batting line-up with 13 wickets in the second Test at Pune.

Santner picked up the big wicket of Virat Kohli twice in the match and also dismissed Rohit Sharma in the second innings. Santner's incredible figures helped New Zealand win their first-ever Test series in India.

Also read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Wasim Akram drops 'If India is comfortable' bombshell on team's Pakistan visit

Gautam Gambhir breaks silence on India's constant struggles against spin

During a press conference a day ahead of the third Test between India and New Zealand in Mumbai, Gautam Gambhir was asked if the Indian batters are no longer good at playing spin.

India's head coach quickly denied such claims and instead credited Mitchell Santner for putting up an outstanding performance with the ball. He insisted on working hard in the nets and coming out better in the next game.

"I don't think so (when asked if Indian batters' skills have gone down against spin). "Sometimes you have to give it to the opposition as well. Mitchell Santner was outstanding in the last game. But yes, we'll keep working hard, we'll keep getting better. Guys are putting in a lot of hard yards in the nets," Gautam Gambhir stated.

"Ultimately it's the results that matter when you're playing international cricket but I don't think that our skill against spin has actually gone down. It's about probably keep working hard and keep getting better," he added.

A complete cricketer can adapt his game: Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir further spoke about the growth of the batters and insisted on playing with soft hands rather than hitting the ball into the stands. He admitted that the growth of the T20 format has changed the batter's game that it used to be some years ago. He wants his batters to adapt to different formats and pitches accordingly.

"Sometimes you're so used to muscling the ball that you end up forgetting the soft hands which probably used to happen eight or 10 years back. A complete cricketer is a cricketer who plays T20 format and Test cricket successfully. He can adapt his game," the former India opener said.

"Growth is not only about hitting the ball in the stands. It's also about batting sessions on a turning track where you know that you will not be able to hit in the stands but you'll be able to rotate better," Gautam Gambhir added.

Indian batters tried to bat aggressively against some tight bowling by New Zealand and ended up giving their wickets away. Instead of trusting their defence and grinding it out, the batters tried to attack and paid the price for it.

Spinners who have troubled India before

India have been struggling against quality spin for some time now. Before Mitchell Santner, there have been several spinners who have troubled the batters before. During the Test series against England earlier this year, Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley troubled Indian batters and even won a Test match for their team.

Australia's Nathan Lyon, England's Moeen Ali, and New Zealand's Ajaz Patel are some of those bowlers who have troubled India before. Indian team management will be looking to find a quick solution to this problem before the high-octane five-match Test series against Australia.