NEW DELHI: India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir made it clear on Monday that he will allow his batters to maintain a “high risk, high reward” strategy in Test cricket. This approach will be pursued even if it leads to the team being bowled out for low scores occasionally.
India showcased their version of ‘Bazball‘ in the recent Kanpur Test against Bangladesh, achieving a seven-wicket victory despite losing more than two days to rain.”Why do we need to hold on to people? If they can play the natural game, if they can get 400-500 runs in a day, why not? We will play it that way — high risk, high reward, high risk, high failure,” Gambhir told reporters ahead of the three-match Test series against New Zealand that starts in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
“There will be days when we’ll get bundled out for 100 and we’ll take it up then. But we’ll continue to back our players to go out there and play high risk cricket. That’s how we want to keep the game going forward and get the results in whatever situation we are in.”
Gambhir clarified that while this aggressive strategy is prioritized, adaptability will also be a crucial aspect of their play.
“I had said in Chennai that we want to be a team that can make 400 runs in a day and bat for two days to draw. That’s called growth. That’s called adaptability and that’s called Test cricket. If you play the same way, then it’s not growth,” Gambhir elaborated.
He expressed confidence in his team’s ability to handle various situations without deviating from their aggressive approach.
“We have a lot of individuals in the dressing room who can bat for two days. So, ultimately, the first motive is to win the match. If we’re in a situation where we have to play for a draw, then that’s the second or the third option. We don’t want to play any other type of cricket. We want people to go out there and play the natural game.”
Regarding the upcoming challenge, Gambhir acknowledged New Zealand’s capability to trouble the Indian team but stressed the importance of playing hard cricket.
“New Zealand is a completely different challenge. We know that they’re a very, very good team and they’ve got some really high-quality players. They’ve got players who can hurt us. They keep fighting. So, three Test matches are going to be a huge challenge.”
“We respect them, but we don’t fear anyone. We want to be selfless. We want to be humble. We want to try and play the game as hard as possible on the cricket field. Whether it is New Zealand or Australia, we will try to win every match for our country.”
While several significant matches are on India’s calendar, including a five-Test series against Australia next month, Gambhir emphasized staying focused on the immediate challenge against New Zealand.
“The first thing is that the World Test Championship is in June (2025). The second thing is that the Test match in Australia is on 22nd November. Right now, only New Zealand is on our mind. When you play international cricket, you don’t think about how to prepare for the five Test matches in Australia, as right now, the most important thing is how to be ready on 16th November at 9.30 am. That is more important because you don’t see ahead that far.”