Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke about the playing XI for the second Test match against the New Zealand in Pune. Gambhir hinted that KL Rahul might still be part of the team despite his poor performance with the bat in the last match.
The second Test will take place at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, starting on October 24. Rohit Sharma’s team is currently down 0-1 in the series after a nine-wicket loss in the first Test in Bengaluru.
During the press conference Gambhir talked about the challenge of selecting a team for a Test match. He said it’s a tough decision but emphasized the importance of competition among players.
“In any Test match, picking a playing XI is always tough. It is always good to have competition,” Gambhir told reporters.
In the first Test, KL Rahul had a disappointing performance, scoring only 0 and 12 in his two innings. He was dismissed by young fast bowler William O’Rourke both times which contributed to India’s surprising loss.
Gambhir also addressed the criticism of Rahul’s selection saying that social media opinions don’t affect the team’s decisions. He pointed out that Rahul did well on a difficult pitch in Kanpur.
“Social media does not matter one bit. What the team management and leadership group thinks is very important. He is batting really well, had a decent knock in Kanpur (against Bangladesh on a difficult wicket),” Gambhir said.
“I’m sure he knows he needs to score big runs, and he has the ability to do so. That’s why the team is backing him… In the end, everyone is judged in international cricket,” he added.
Rahul scored 68 runs in the rain-affected second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. He also received support from assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. After India’s defeat in the first Test, Rahul was seen practicing at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, preparing for the next match.
