India head coach Gautam Gambhir wants 'everyone to play domestic cricket' after his team’s 1-3 loss against Australia in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy on Sunday (January 5).
India were beaten by six wickets in the fifth and final Test at the SCG to succumb to their first defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years. Having comprehensively won the series opener in Perth, the tourists couldn’t capitalise on the start. An underfire batting line-up was one of the reasons. Out of the 10 innings India batted in the series, six ended in less than 200 runs.
Speaking at the post-match press conference about the loss, Gambhir urged players to play in domestic tournaments to show their commitment to red-ball cricket. In July last year, then BCCI secretary Jay Shah had made it clear that centrally-contracted players must make themselves available for domestic tournaments when free from national duties. However, several seniors, including the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were exempted from the directive.
Gambhir's comments were presumably directed at Rohit and Kohli, both of whom flopped with the bat this series.
"I would always like everyone to play domestic cricket. That is how much importance domestic cricket needs to be given. Not only one game. If they are available and they have the commitment to play red ball cricket, everyone should play domestic cricket. As simple as it can get," Gambhir said.
"If you don't give importance to domestic cricket, you will never get the desired players that you want."
Former Test captains Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar have criticised the SCG surface for the fifth Test of the series.
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While Rohit scored only 31 runs in his five innings before resting himself in the final match, Kohli’s familiar problems against deliveries outside off-stump continued and the second-innings hundred at Perth was pretty much it for him in this series. For the first time since November 2016, Kohli's Test average has dropped below 47.
Gambhir: Kohli and Rohit still hungry for runs, can't talk about their future
Gambhir, however, remained reserved about the future of both in Test cricket, saying it's up to them to make the decision. At the same time, he is confident that the two seniors would make the decisions in the best interests of the team.
"I can’t talk about the future of any player," Gambhir said.
He added: "It’s up to them. But, yes, what I can say is they still have the hunger, they still have the passion. They are tough people. I hope they will do everything they can to take Indian cricket forward. But, like I said, whatever they do, they will plan for the best interests of Indian cricket."
While Rohit last played a domestic red-ball match in the 2016 Duleep Trophy, Kohli’s previous appearance came back in 2012-13, for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. With two rounds of the current edition of the Ranji Trophy still to be played from January 23, it remains to be seen whether they turn up for their respective domestic sides.
The loss in Sydney means India’s hopes of making it to the 2023-25 World Test Championship final are over. Australia have joined South Africa for the summit clash.
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