Manchester: Gautam Gambhir wants his players to make their history rather than following anyone from the past, including the India head coach himself. And, after a memorable comeback in the Manchester Test, they are moving in that direction.
A 188-run stand between captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul kept India in the fourth Test against England before Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja earned a spirited draw for the visitors with an unbeaten 203-run alliance.
Asked whether Gambhir gave a pep talk to the players after day four and made a reference to his match-saving 137 in Napier back in 2009, Gambhir responded in the negative.
“Look, the first thing is that I don’t remember any of my knocks, which have become history. I think they should make their history. Honestly, no one in this team will follow anyone or want to follow. They should make their history.
“They want to fight for the common man back home. And the important thing is that the way a lot of people had written us off in this Test match, this is the foundation of this team.
“These are characters who are sitting in this dressing room, wanting to fight for the country, and they will continue to do that,” said the head coach.
Managing a draw from the brink of defeat would give India a psychological edge over the hosts in the fifth and final Test in London, felt Gambhir.
“It will. Because when you see, when you’re put under the pressure, when you’re put under the pump and you end up adding five sessions, I think that’s a great character. And anything that you do in these conditions, when you’re put under pressure and you come out of those pressure moments, it is always a great feeling.
“And it just ends up giving a lot of confidence in the dressing room as well. And I’m sure, I think going into Oval, I think we will be high on confidence, but we can’t take anything for granted,” he said.
Under new captain Gill, the team is going through a transition, but Gambhir doesn’t see it that way. Considering the inexperience on the side, the squad has done well, especially Gill, who racked up his fourth hundred of the series on Sunday.
“Good, you used that word transition, but I don’t see it like that because it is still an Indian team. This is the best 18 that is going to represent. It is only experience and inexperience.
“And that is how we see this. But the most important thing is that these guys got to learn a lot from what they did today.
“Because being under pressure, batting five sessions is never easy on day five of the Test against an attack like England. And then coming out with a draw and only losing four wickets…,” he said.
