The Indian cricket team, after a brief break, will again embark on a Test mission with the Sri Lanka series that starts on August 15.
The Indian cricket team, after a brief break, will again embark on a Test mission with the Sri Lanka series that starts on August 15. The series will be crucial for India if the Gautam Gambhir-led side is to keep its World Test Championship final ambitions alive. India are currently fifth in the standings and have nine more Tests in hand (away series against Sri Lanka: 2 Tests, away series against New Zealand: 2 Tests, home series against Australia: 5 Tests). India need at least 7-8 wins to have a realistic chance of finishing among the top two and qualifying for the final. Currently, Australia and South Africa are leading the race.
Under coach Gautam Gambhir, India have lost against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This has led to question marks over Gambhir’s capability as a coach. Former India player Deep Dasgupta said that Gambhir is facing an acid test.
“One thing is fair: questions will be asked of him (Gambhir). When the team does not play properly, questions will be asked individually. Obviously, the team’s coach, captain, and everyone involved with the team will be asked questions because, if you look at it, we lost at home. After 2011-12, we lost the series in New Zealand, and we kept losing continuously,” Deep Dasgupta was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
“As we are saying, two out of three series have been lost. So, there will be pressure. It is also important to say that all the names we are taking, everyone knows how to play under pressure, and they also know how to handle it. But there will be pressure on Shubman, the Indian players, and it is very, very important.
“Because they are talking about transition, it is very important to see a direction in the transition period. The transition started, let’s say, after the New Zealand Test series; then came the England series and all of that. It started from there onwards. Somewhere, I feel that it is important to see a direction, and I am a little confused as to which direction we are going,” he concluded.
Highlighting the difficult away assignments this year in the current WTC cycle, Dasgupta warned against taking any opposition lightly. “Well, firstly, there is no easy Test series, and especially right now, looking at the Indian Test side, which is going through a transition, there is not one easy Test match, no matter what happens.
“Especially in Sri Lanka. Again, Sri Lanka has been a very difficult place to tour in the past, especially in these conditions right now. So, I think it’s going to be interesting when looking at the WTC. I think there are nine Test matches left: five against Australia, two against Sri Lanka, and two against New Zealand. If I’m not wrong, roughly speaking, I think seven out of nine will have to be won to qualify for the WTC final. So, that in itself is a difficult task.