Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir looks set to be joined by a batch of youngsters as the senior national team prepares for the 5-match Test series in England. With veteran stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin no longer a part of the team in the longest format, the situation gives some youngsters an opportunity to put their hand up and take up the challenge. While Gambhir admitted that replacing Rohit and Kohli is a tough task, he is confident of the next generation stepping up.
“And yes, we’ve got to be without two senior players. And sometimes I believe that it’s the opportunity for some other people to put their hand up and say, Okay, I’m ready for it. So yes, it will be tough, but then there’ll be people putting their hand up for sure because this question was asked to me before,” said Gambhir while speaking to Cricket Next.
Gambhir cited the example of India’s successful ICC Champions Trophy outing where the team lifted the title despite missing Jasprit Bumrah, unarguably the finest pacer in world cricket at the moment.
“Champions Trophy as well. When Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t there, I said exactly the same thing: someone missing out might give another person an opportunity to do something special for the country. Hopefully, there’ll be other guys waiting for that opportunity,” he added.
When asked about Rohit and Virat’s decision to quit Test cricket, Gambhir said that retirement is an individual call, that no one in the team management or the selection committee has the right to force on a player.
“I think, when you start the game and when you want to finish, it’s a very individual decision. No one has the right,” said Gambhir.
“Be it the coach, the selector, be it anyone in this country, has any right to tell someone when to retire and when not to retire. So it comes from within,” he asserted.
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