“We Don’t Focus On The Opposition..”: Gautam Gambhir Ahead Of Bangladesh Test Series

Ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh, India head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed confidence in his team, stating that India “don’t fear anyone” but “respect everyone.”

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gambhir said

“I have always believed that we don’t fear anyone, but we respect everyone. It’s the same with Bangladesh. We don’t focus on the opposition; we play the game we know. I congratulate them on what they did in Pakistan. But this is a new series, and they are a quality side, so we want to play good cricket. Yes, they have experience in Shakib, Mushfiqur, and Mehidy, but we want to be switched on from the first ball”.

Gambhir congratulated Bangladesh on their recent 2-0 Test series victory against Pakistan and acknowledged their strengths, especially veterans like Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

However, he emphasized that India will focus on playing their brand of cricket and remain prepared from the very first ball.

As India leads the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with a 68.52% point percentage, Gambhir highlighted that the team is focused on the broader WTC campaign, which includes two Tests against Bangladesh, followed by series against New Zealand and Australia.

He also addressed questions about potential inclusions of players like Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, noting that while they are talented, team selection is about picking the best XI, and some players will have to wait for their opportunities.

The two-match Test series kicks off on September 19 in Chennai, with the second Test scheduled in Kanpur starting on September 27.