India avenged the defeat in Tests with a 2-1 win in the ODI series on Saturday, December 6. After the emphatic nine-wicket win in the third ODI in Visakhapatnam, India’s head coach Gambhir condemned Delhi Capitals (DC) co-owner Parth Jindal. The latter had criticized the Indian team management and selectors after the Test series debacle.
Gambhir did not want to give any excuses for the defeat. However, he blamed Test captain Shubman Gill’s neck injury for the result. The Punjab batsman suffered a neck injury during the first Test in Kolkata and was unable to bat in the second innings. He also missed the second Test match as vice-captain Rishabh Pant took over the leadership duties.
“We played without our captain. He didn’t play both innings. That was the only difference, which doesn’t mean you don’t bring out the facts. When you are in transition, you lose your captain, who is our in-form batsman, who has scored over a thousand runs in seven matches. Against a team like that, it is a blow,” Gambhir said at the press conference.
Apparently not happy with the criticism coming his way, Gambhir pointed to Jindal’s comments in which the latter had called for split coaching. Referring to the DC co-owner’s comments, the former India opener urged people not to leave their domain.
“A lot of people have said a lot of things, some of which went beyond their domain, like an IPL owner suggesting split coaching,” Gambhir said.
After India’s Test series defeat, Jindal, an avid sports fan, shared his views on the state of cricket in the country on social media.
“Not even close, what a complete drubbing at home! I can’t remember seeing our Test side this weak at home!!! This is what happens when red ball specialists are not picked. This team is nowhere near reflecting the depth of strength we possess in the red ball format. Time for India to move to a specialist red ball coach for Test cricket,” Jindal wrote at X.
India and South Africa will now do battle in a five-match T20I series. The first T20I will take place on Tuesday, December 9 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
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