Manchester: India head coach Gautam Gambhir weighed in on England’s visible frustration after Indian batsmen chose to continue batting despite a handshake being offered by Ben Stokes late on Day 5 of the drawn Old Trafford Test.
Responding to the controversy, Gambhir said, “If someone is batting on 90 and the other on 85, don’t they deserve a hundred? Would England have walked off if one of their own was on 90? If someone has the opportunity to get their first Test century, you must allow him to take it. It’s unfortunate they felt that way- I have nothing more to say. Both guys deserved their tons and thankfully, they got them.”
This firm stance by the Indian camp underlines the grit and individual milestones that defined India’s late resistance.
When asked about changes in the XI, including Karun Nair missing out and Anshul Kamboj debuting, Gambhir clarified, “We don’t drop anyone. We pick the XI we feel can do the job. We felt a left-hander at No. 3 would help against this attack, and Sai Sudarshan did his job. Anshul was picked because his bowling suits overcast conditions, and he can bowl long spells.”
In a broader comment on the game, Gambhir supported the idea of allowing substitutes in cases of clear, visible external injuries. “Absolutely. If the umpires and match referee agree it’s serious, there should be a rule for it. Especially in a tightly fought series like this — imagine playing with just 10. That would be unfair,” he said.
On the decision to promote Washington Sundar to No. 5, Gambhir said, “He was in good form. With Rishabh unavailable, it was an opportunity to slot him in at five. We always knew what form he was in. There’s not even an inch of surprise about what he did today — and I believe this is just the start for him.”
When asked about the No. 3 conundrum after Karun and Sai’s rotation, Gambhir stressed that it’s not about individual scores. “We look at partnerships. If No. 3 contributes to a stand, he’s done his job. Sai is a phenomenal talent. You can’t judge players game by game. He’s 23, on his first tour of England, and still managed a brilliant 50 and 60. We have to be patient — these boys are the future of Indian cricket,” he said.
Gambhir reaffirmed his belief in results over narratives. “You’re asking someone who only believes in results. We’re still 2-1 down in the series, but I believe we can level it 2-2. That would be a great achievement,” he stated.
Speaking about captain Shubman Gill’s rise, Gambhir said the dressing room never doubted his talent. “Those who doubted him only talk about cricket, they don’t understand it. Even if he hadn’t performed, we knew the kind of quality he has,” he said.
“He’s living up to his talent and expectation. And this narrative around captaincy pressure? You can’t see any of that when he bats. He walks in as a batter, not a captain.”
