Gautam Gambhir’s Calmness Under Pressure Questioned by Tim Paine
As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy approaches, former Australian captain Tim Paine has raised concerns about India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Paine believes Gambhir’s ability to remain calm under pressure is India’s biggest challenge. This follows a verbal exchange between Gambhir and Australian legend Ricky Ponting, who commented on Virat Kohli’s recent form. Gambhir responded by suggesting Ponting should focus on Australia instead. Ponting later clarified his remarks, describing Gambhir as a “prickly character.”
Paine expressed his views on SEN, stating, “I do not love it. It is not a good sign I think, because all he was asked was a very simple question.” He added that Gambhir might still view Ponting as a competitor rather than a commentator. Paine emphasized that Kohli’s form is indeed a concern, but Gambhir’s demeanor is a bigger issue for India.
Paine praised former coach Ravi Shastri for his ability to energize and motivate the Indian team during their previous series wins in Australia. He expressed doubt about Gambhir’s fit with the team, suggesting that if Gambhir cracks under pressure, it could be a challenging series for India.
India aims for a 4-0 series win against Australia to secure a spot in the World Test Championship final. The series begins in Perth on November 22, followed by Tests in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
India’s Squad for the Series
Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.
Australia’s Squad for the First Test
Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.
Doubts Revealed
Gautam Gambhir -: Gautam Gambhir is a former Indian cricketer who played as an opening batsman. He is known for his aggressive style of play and has been a part of India’s World Cup-winning teams. Currently, he is the head coach of the Indian cricket team.
Tim Paine -: Tim Paine is a former Australian cricketer who played as a wicketkeeper-batsman. He was the captain of the Australian Test cricket team and is known for his leadership skills.
Ricky Ponting -: Ricky Ponting is a former Australian cricketer and one of the most successful captains in cricket history. He is known for his excellent batting and leadership skills.
Virat Kohli -: Virat Kohli is a famous Indian cricketer known for his exceptional batting skills. He has been the captain of the Indian cricket team and is considered one of the best batsmen in the world.
Ravi Shastri -: Ravi Shastri is a former Indian cricketer and was the head coach of the Indian cricket team before Gautam Gambhir. He is known for his motivational skills and has contributed to many of India’s cricketing successes.
World Test Championship -: The World Test Championship is a cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It aims to determine the best Test cricket team in the world through a series of matches played over a period of time.
