'You've to accept days like Bengaluru Test': Gautam Gambhir's bold message to Indian fans

India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has fiercely defended his team's bold approach following their crushing defeat against New Zealand in Bengaluru. The shocking collapse in the first innings saw Team India bundled out for a mere 46 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

However, the hosts made a valiant comeback in the second innings but couldn't recover enough ground, and then their first-innings setback ultimately led them to suffer a defeat in the ongoing three-match Test series opener against New Zealand in Bengaluru.

Gautam Gambhir defends India’s aggressive approach after crushing Bengaluru Test defeat against New Zealand

This embarrassing defeat came after India’s dominant win over Bangladesh in Kanpur, where aggressive brand paid off massively, as the hosts pulled off a stunning victory in two days after rain had interrupted almost half of the second and final Test.

However, Gautam Gambhir stood by the Indian cricket team's philosophy of chasing victory even in the face of adversity. He stressed that such a defeat might bite, but it is the high-reward approach of the game that India is committed to carrying forward under his coaching.

Ahead of the crucial second Test between India and New Zealand at the MCA Stadium in Pune, starting on October 24, the head coach said that Indian fans will have to accept the 46-all out in Bengaluru if they enjoyed their wins like Kanpur against Bangladesh.

You will have to accept the 46-all out if you enjoyed Kanpur Test win: Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir said at the pre-match press conference in Pune: “That's why we call cricket, or rather sports in general, a great leveler. If you enjoy days like we had in Kanpur, then you also have to accept days like the one we had in Bengaluru. But the good thing was that even after being bowled out for 46, we were still looking to win the Test match. That was important, and that's the kind of cricket we want to play.”

The Indian team’s dramatic collapse in Bengaluru didn’t diminish their resolve, with Gambhir reiterating that their aim was never to settle for a draw. The hosts displayed intent in the second innings, and the coach emphasized that his team was still pushing for a result despite being 46-all out in the first innings against New Zealand in the first innings.

We will continue playing an aggressive brand of cricket: Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir explained, “I had said earlier that our first option is always to win, and the second option is a draw. If you look at the second inning as well, there was no intention of just playing for two and a half days. We were thinking about how we could win the game. In fact, if you ask me, we were probably 100 runs away from making the match.”

This fearless brand of cricket is clearly not without its risks. But the India coach made it clear that they will move forward with an aggressive mindset in future campaigns despite their 46-run all-out in Bengaluru, which haunted Indian cricket.

Gambhir signed off by saying, “So, I don't think many teams would think that way after being bowled out for 46, when they still had to bat for more than two and a half days. But that’s the quality of cricket we want to play going forward.”