India's Batting Woes: Gambhir Stands by Lower Order After Test Collapse, Cites Catching Errors and Bumrah's Limited Role

Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, has voiced his support for the Indian lower order despite their batting collapses in the recent Test match against England at Headingley. This statement comes after India suffered a frustrating defeat, losing by 371 runs after controlling the game for a significant period.

India dropped crucial catches throughout the Test match on a surface that didn't offer a lot of help. © Getty

India's performance was marked by inconsistency, with two significant batting collapses proving costly.

• In the first innings, they lost 7 wickets for 41 runs.
• In the second innings, they lost 6 wickets for 31 runs.

These collapses undermined the strong foundation laid by the top order, which included centuries from several batsmen.

Shubman Gill's Perspective

Shubman Gill, who captained the side and scored a century in the first innings, revealed that the team had aimed for a target of around 435 runs. Gambhir, however, believed that a first-innings score of 570 or 580 would have allowed India to dominate the match.

Gambhir's Defense of the Lower Order

Despite the shortcomings, Gambhir defended the lower order, stating that their dismissals were not due to a lack of effort. He acknowledged that failures are a part of the game, even for established batsmen.

"Look, first of all, it's not that they weren't applying themselves. Sometimes people fail. And that's okay," Gambhir said. "I know it's disappointing... It's not like they're not working hard in the nets. These things happen. Even proper batters fail."

He expressed hope that the lower order would learn from the experience and improve their performances in the future. He also emphasized that their batting collapses were not the sole reason for the Test match loss.

Key Factor: Catching Woes

Another significant factor contributing to India's defeat was their poor catching performance. The team dropped as many as seven catches, with Yashasvi Jaiswal being a repeat offender. One crucial drop involved Ben Duckett, who was reprieved on 97 and went on to score a match-defining 149.

Gill acknowledged the importance of improving their catching standards, especially on challenging wickets where chances are scarce.

No Excuses

Gambhir dismissed the notion that the team's youth was an excuse for the loss. He emphasized the pride and responsibility that comes with representing India.

"Every defeat is bad. It's not about a young team or an experienced team. It's an Indian team... A young team is not an excuse... We will turn up every Test match thinking that we can win the test match and win the series."

Bumrah's Workload Management

Gambhir also confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah would only play two more Test matches in the series, as part of a pre-series plan to manage his workload. The decision on which two matches Bumrah would play was yet to be finalized.

Despite Bumrah's limited availability, Gambhir expressed confidence in the team's bowling attack, emphasizing the trust and belief they have in their bowlers.