Having lost the first Test in Bengaluru by eight wickets, Team India are trailing 0-1 in the three-match series against New Zealand. The hosts are facing a must win situation in the second Test in Pune to save the series.
On the eve of the second Test, India head coach Gautam Gambhir attended a press conference, where he addressed queries on the team combination.
Speculations are rife that Sarfaraz Khan will replace KL Rahul in India’s playing XI, with Shubman Gill set to return to the line-up after recovering from a neck injury.
Notably, Gill’s injury paved the way for Sarfaraz’s selection in the Bengaluru Test and the Mumbai batter grabbed the opportunity with both hands, slamming his maiden Test century (150) in the second innings after bagging a duck in the first essay.
On the other hand, Rahul struggled in familiar home conditions, returning with scores of 0 and 12 in the two innings.
However, Gambhir threw his weight behind under-fire Rahul, saying it's the team management's opinion that matters and not the criticism he is facing on social media.
"Social media does not matter one bit. What the team management and leadership group thinks is very important. He is batting really well, had a decent knock in Kanpur (against Bangladesh on a difficult wicket," Gambhir told reporters on when asked about Rahul's place in the team.
"I am sure he would be knowing that he has to score big runs and he has capability of scoring runs. That's why he has been backed by the team...Ultimately, everyone is judged. International cricket is all about being judged," he added.
After getting bowled out for a historic low of 46 in the first innings of the Bengaluru Test, India bounced back in the second dig.
Riding on Sarfaraz’s ton and crucial half-centuries from Rishabh Pant (99), Virat Kohli (70) and Rohit Sharma (52), the hosts racked up 462 runs on the board. However, the Kiwis chased down the modest target of 107 with ease to secure a lead in the series.
It was a humbling experience for the Indian team who entered the series after completing a 2-0 sweep of Bangladesh, including winning the Kanpur Test despite two days of play being washed out.
"Cricket, sports are a big leveller. If we have enjoyed days like Kanpur we had to endure what happened in Bengaluru. We didn't show any intention to bat out the remainder of the two and a half days," Gambhir remarked.
(With PTI Inputs)
