Last Updated on 2 months by Charbel Coorey
Aakash Chopra believes the Indian Test team is on the way up after a tough start under coach Gautam Gambhir. The former opener says Gambhir’s Test record doesn’t make for pretty reading, but the performances in England provides promise in a transition period.
“Gautam Gambhir has been the coach in 15 Tests, of which India have won five, lost eight, and two have been drawn. The win percentage is 33.33, which is not great. However, it’s also true that India are going through a transition in Test cricket, and transition is painful,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Aakash Chopra backs Gautam Gambhir to lead India Test team back to position of strength
Gambhir’s tenure as India Test coach began with a 2-0 home series win against Bangladesh. However, what followed was remarkable. A 3-0 home loss to New Zealand, one of the shock results in Test history, put the spotlight on Gambhir’s team selections and underperforming seniors.
Those concerns continued in Australia, where India lost the series 3-1 despite winning the first Test, relinquishing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since regaining it in 2017.
Chopra acknowledged India have struggled, but there is plenty to be optimistic about after a terrific effort to draw the series in England. Shubman Gill’s performance was outstanding, while KL Rahul has provided hope that he can succeed long term as Test opener.
“India have struggled a little in Test cricket. What happened against New Zealand was slightly surprising and worrying. That was definitely bad,” Chopra said. “In that backdrop, you went to Australia, and Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Test careers ended there. They didn’t retire there, but they didn’t play Test matches after that.
“The transition is not yet fully completed,” Chopra continued. “A young gun team has been prepared which went and drew the series in England. A new captain scored 750 runs at No. 4, KL Rahul got established as an opener, and things are looking up one more time. The start wasn’t good. Not qualifying for the Test Championship was a serious blow, but things have started looking up now.”
India’s next Test assignment is a two-match series at home against the West Indies in October. The Windies have not won a Test in India since 1994. Given the state of their Test cricket, anything less than a 2-0 series win for Shubman Gill’s team will be a huge surprise.
