Cricket

“I hope Gautam Gambhir is listening” - Sourav Ganguly offers a piece of advice to Indian head coach after 30-run defeat to South Africa

Sourav Ganguly publicly advised head coach Gautam Gambhir after the 30-run loss to South Africa. Using the phrase, "I hope Gautam Gambhir is listening," Ganguly urged India to "play on good wickets," score 350-400 runs, and "win Test matches in 5 days, not in 3 days."

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Former Indian captain and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly has offered a piece of advice for the Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir after India suffered a 30-run loss to South Africa in the first Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

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Notably, Gambhir admitted in the post-match press conference that the Indian team requested a bowling wicket at the Eden Gardens. Speaking to NDTV after the game, Ganguly reckoned that India should play on good wickets that offer decent assistance for both batters and bowlers, giving an example of the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, in which Indian batters had a good time with the willow and went on to draw the five-match series 2-2.

Furthermore, the former Indian skipper also asserted that Gambhir should take the wicket out of the game, and if the Indian batters do not score more than 350 runs, they will not win matches in the longest format of the game. 

“Play on good wickets. I hope Gautam Gambhir is listening. He needs to take the wicket out of the game. Because if his batsmen are not putting up 350–400, he will not win Test matches. That’s the reason they won in England, because his batsmen put runs up on the board. He must play on good wickets. And trust his people. And win Test matches in 5 days. Not in 3 days.” Ganguly told NDTV.

“I have got a lot of time for him. A lot of regard. He is a competitor. He has done well for India as a coach. But he must play on good wickets. Because he has got Bumrah, he has got Siraj, he has got Shami, he has got Kuldeep, and he has got Jadeja,” he added.

Unfortunately, India suffered a defeat to South Africa inside three days, which drew the attention of many in the Indian cricketing fraternity. They will next take on South Africa in the second Test of the two-match series, starting on Saturday, November 22, in Guwahati.

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