Gautam Gambhir feels international cricket is not about developing players

It’s been just one tour for Gautam Gambhir on the road as the head coach of the senior Indian men’s team. However, he is gearing up for a long Test season ahead that includes five Test matches at home and then five Test matches away in Australia. 

India are beginning their Test season in Chennai against Bangladesh amidst the ongoing Duleep Trophy at the domestic level, which is a crucial metric of performance for selection purposes. However, there are a few areas and skills where the Indian Test side still lags behind Test nations like Australia, and the lack of an elite seam-bowling all-rounder is a prominent lacuna in India’s Test reserves. 

However, Gambhir stressed that it’s not a problem that can be solved at the international level, and the teams have to make do with the variety and amount of talent at their disposal.

“See, first of all, international cricket is not about developing players,” Gambhir said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh.

“It's the first-class cricket that is there to develop players. International cricket is all about people coming in and delivering. We have been talking about it since Kapil Dev that we don't have a fast-bowling all-rounder. If we don't have it, we don't have it. If we have it, I think he's going to get developed in first-class cricket. We've got a really strong first-class structure. And hopefully, we can get someone really soon.”

Gambhir also stressed that India already have three elite spin bowling allrounders in Axar Patel, Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja — something which hardly any other Test team in the world can boast of. 

"But if we can get someone really soon, great for Indian cricket. If we don't, then we still have quality all-rounders,” Gambhir remarked. 

“We have to manage people like Jadeja, people like Axar, Ashwin, who's got five Test hundreds. Washi [Washington Sundar] is there as well. So we've got quality all-rounders. So when we keep talking about seam bowling all-rounder, let's not get obsessed with that as well. 

“Tell me, how many international sides have a spin bowling all-rounder? There are not many sides who've got a spin-bowling all-rounder. India's got that luxury. So might as well not keep thinking about seam bowling all-rounder. Let's talk about quality, which is important. But if we can get someone, if we can develop someone in first-class cricket, it'll be great for Indian cricket.”

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India are going ahead in the first Test with two major selection headaches: They have to choose between Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel and KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan. Gambhir dialled down that India has a long Test season ahead, so there will be plenty of opportunities for players to perform, even if they miss out from the Chennai Test that starts tomorrow (September 19). 

“I think the most important thing is very clear communication. And the clear communication is that we don't drop anyone,” the Indian men’s head coach remarked. 

“We only select the best playing 11, who we think can do the job in that particular Test match. I feel that Jurel is a quality player. He's done phenomenally well in the last season. When he played against England, he played some really crucial knocks under pressure. But again, when Rishabh is coming in, obviously he's done really well. Most of the conditions. So sometimes people will have to wait.

"And someone like Sarfaraz, yes, he's also done really well. But sometimes you just have to wait for the opportunity and keep working hard, keep doing the right things. Because whenever the opportunity comes in, India has got a really long Test season ahead. So there will be opportunities. So make sure that these guys are ready whenever they get that opportunity. And that is what is called bench strength. Because only 11 can play, fortunately, or unfortunately. But more importantly, I think we'll try and get the best playing 11 on the park every single time."

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