The Men in Blue have been under a lot of pressure lately, losing a Test series against New Zealand at home and are facing Australia on November and December for a 5-match Test series. Team India’s situation against New Zealand is dire, having lost all three Tests and suffered a clean sweep at home. A third defeat has made a hard blow to India’s chances at the WTC (World Test Championship) in June 2025.
Betting on the Future
Those who have bet on the Men in Blue on platforms like Sportsbet io India lately have good reasons to feel unlucky after three losses in a row. Despite currently occupying the top of the ranking, India leads over Australia by a pretty slim margin. A third defeat against New Zealand has damaged its hopes for the WTC Finals for the third year straight.Â
India’s chances lie in scoring a 4-0 win over Australia. However, New Zealand’s chances of getting to the WTC finals depend on the England series. So, fans can expect another hard-fought 3 months in which all sides will be fighting for their survival.
Bringing the A-Game Back
The losses against New Zealand were hurtful not only for fans but also for the players and the coach, Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir admitted the impact on the team’s morale. He also said it’ll make them stronger for the next challenges. It’s been 12 years since Indian fans saw Team India suffering a defeat at home. Indeed, the Men in Blue have been working hard on their recovery.Â
Virat Kohli, whose lackluster performance in the previous matches became a symbol of the team’s weakness, has been training heavily to recover his charm. At the nets, Kohli looked much more like the star of years ago. He showed a powerful stroke play and flawless technique. KL Rahul has also been working tirelessly.Â
During the tour, Rahul spent nearly three hours straight perfecting his batting. He focused on his defensive gameplay against spinners. Additionally, he’s been working on technical flaws that brought him trouble in the first Test against New Zealand. Â
Similarly, Rohit Sharma has been working on technical issues he had in the second Test. After the dismissal in Pune in the second innings, he decided to work on not jinking down the surface. It can be even more challenging in the next match in Wankhede. The surface is uneven. Despite his recent shortcomings, Rohit remains one of the finest Indian athletes on the spin. However, his over-aggressive gameplay in the second Test cost him his wicket. So, he’s adjusting his gameplay to the less aggressive approach that worked well against Australia and England. Â
Jasprit Bumrah didn’t join the squad for the third Test against New Zealand, though. The team’s fast bowler has already flown home. He was spared from the next Test so that he can recover for the India tour of Australia in which he captained the inaugural Test and won. Gautam Gambhir defended Virat’s against claims that he has lost his capacity to respond to quality spin bowling.
Transition Challenges
Gautam Gambhir is a well-known name among Indian cricket fans. The former player retired in 2018 after an accomplished career. However, his career ahead of Team India started out rough. Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid last June, whose legacy includes a fantastic campaign in the T20 World Cup.
Here are five major changes announced by Gambhir for this transition.
Virat Kohli Phased Out of T20s
Virat Kohli is a living legend of Indian cricket. Aged 35, Kohli still can deliver an outstanding performance despite recent results. Virat Kohli will most probably be part of the team heading to the 2025 ICC World Championship. Nevertheless, Gambhir is focusing on finding a young player that could fill Kohli’s shoes. This means he might be left out of T20 matches.
Rohit Sharma Phased Out of T20s and Tests
Rohit Sharma is another veteran star in the sport, but at the age of 37, his physical condition is no longer at its peak. Currently, Gambhir is trying to foster younger batters that are just as talented and resilient. Like Kohli, Sharma is also guaranteed a presence in the 2025 ICC World Championship. His career is unlikely to last much longer than that.
Jadeja, Shami, and Siraj Phased Out of White Ball Formats
Three important names of White Ball might also be phased out of those formats. Jadeja’s experience is still invaluable for the team and even more so for the younger players, but his participation in those formats might be reduced. Mohammed Shami has an illustrious career as a fast-medium bowler, where he became famous for his wicket-taking skills and pace.Â
However, the veteran can no longer deliver the same level of physical fitness and consistency he did in his early days. Gambhir wants to create space for new talents now, focusing on the 2027 World Cup. Siraj is a much younger player. But he has also failed to deliver consistency lately. So, the head coach is moving on to finding more reliable options for the position. Siraj is still part of the Test team, though.
Conclusion
Gambhir is leading a squad with many players over 30. The list of aging stars includes Ashwin, Kohli, Sharma, and Jadeja, who probably won’t take too long to retire. Who will take their places is still unclear. Gambhir doesn’t have much time to find his footing in the team and pull it back together for the next challenge.Â
Worse still, as the Men in Blue have also been underperforming in ODI matches, observers begin to wonder whether his job would be on the line. Nevertheless, the head coach keeps working on developing his view of a youthful, skilled, and reliable squad, bearing in mind that many heroes are about to retire.Â
India’s coach is also going through a rough patch in his personal life. Gambhir is the director and ambassador of two contractors’ joint venture, which is under investigation for allegedly cheating flat buyers.
