T20 series win against New Zealand is an incredible achievement: Gautam Gambhir

According to a report by Amar Ujala, following the Indian cricket team's T20 series victory against New Zealand, head coach Gautam Gambhir has termed this success an incredible achievement. He stated that before the start of the series, the team had only one day available for preparation. Apart from this, 70 to 80 percent of the players included in the team were visiting New Zealand for the first time. Despite all these difficulties, the Indian team won the first three matches and claimed the series.

According to reports and details received from Kranti News, the Indian team played the first match of the series in Christchurch on October 22. Prior to that, the players reached New Zealand on October 20 and had to practice the very next day, i.e., on October 21. Thus, they got only one day to adapt to the local conditions. Even though the weather, ground dimensions and atmosphere were completely different, India won the first three matches to take an unassailable lead in the five-match series. However, the host New Zealand team concluded the series by winning the last two encounters.

After the conclusion of the fifth and final T20 match, head coach Gautam Gambhir told the media in a conversation that this effort is definitely incredible, because the players reached New Zealand on October 20 and could get only a single practice session on October 21. He added that playing against a strong team like New Zealand in their own backyard, where conditions are different and most players were visiting for the first time, was very challenging. Despite such little preparation, the kind of stellar performance the players have shown is why the entire team deserves praise.

As mentioned in the Amar Ujala report, Gautam Gambhir clarified that the most difficult thing for any team on this tour was the lack of time for the T20 team. For the upcoming ODI and Test matches, the players will have sufficient time to acclimatize with the conditions, but the T20 team had no such opportunity or time. After a 15-hour long flight and just a single practice session, the way the players performed on the field is akin to a special achievement. New Zealand's atmosphere and weather were extremely challenging for the Indian players.

Praaising the Indian team's aggressive mindset, Gambhir also stated that the players stepped onto the field with the objective to secure consecutive wins. However, in the final two matches, the results could not remain in India's favor. He acknowledged that though many people might not take note of this feat, this is a success that should always be discussed. The players were constantly playing under pressure and this is what is called playing fearless and aggressive cricket. There was a desire to win the last two matches as well, but sometimes circumstances are not favorable.

During this tour, the Indian team did not have the option of experienced bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. Despite the absence of an experienced bowling attack, captain Shreyas Iyer made the best use of the available resources and handled the team excellently. Gambhir emphasized that it was not easy for Iyer to captain with an inexperienced bowling attack. Shreyas took over the command of a successful team that had previously won the World Cup and had not lost a series for two years. Even after the World Cup, India faced defeats on tours of England and Ireland and gave opportunities to many young players.

Gambhir stated that giving opportunities to young players as part of preparations for the upcoming World Cup is extremely essential. The experience of playing on foreign soil plays an important role in the development of players' careers. He added that Shreyas Iyer has done a wonderful job with an inexperienced bowling attack. A captain proves to be only as good as the performance of his bowling or batting department, and Shreyas has discharged his responsibility excellently with bowlers of limited experience.

When Gautam Gambhir was asked whether the challenges coming before the team ever trouble him, he replied in his own style stating that there is no word called fear in his dictionary, thought and ideology. He stated that they are professional players and there should be no room for making excuses. Giving their best performance in every responsibility assigned by the country and bringing winning results is their main objective.

Finally, speaking about the busy international schedule of Indian cricket and his responsibilities as the head coach, Gambhir acknowledged that this is definitely challenging, but he is enjoying this role to the fullest. He said that although this is difficult yet he is happy because very few people get the good fortune of wearing the Indian jersey and getting this kind of opportunity.