India head coach Gautam Gambhir called the team’s resounding victory over Pakistan a “good one” but said that it was “more importantly” a demonstration of the team’s support for the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
After defeating Pakistan by seven wickets on Sunday, Gambhir told tournament broadcaster Sony Sports that there is still a lot of cricket to play in the competition.
“Good win, there’s a lot of cricket left. More importantly, as a team we wanted to show our solidarity towards the victims, all the families and what they’ve gone through in the Pahalgam attack,” said Gambhir.
“We also want to thank the armed forces for their success in Operation Sindoor. I am sure we will try and make the country proud and make them happy,” he added.
Gambhir stated he could not have hoped for a greater performance from his teammates in the game that ended up being a no-contest.
“You couldn’t ask for a better performance, especially the way the bowlers bowled. If you are restricting the opponents to 127, the way all three spinners and Bumrah performed, then obviously you will back the batting line-up to chase it down. The way we started was also important, and the players are doing the right things day in and day out,” said the former India opener.
Since taking over as head coach of the Indian squad a little over a year ago, Gambhir’s reign has produced a range of outcomes. When asked how his tenure with the national team has gone thus far, Gambhir emphasized the importance of completing his work honestly.
“I’ve had my good days, I’ve had my bad days as well — that’s what coaching is about. The important thing is if you can work honestly in the dressing room, bring honest people, it is very important.
“You can’t compare apples to oranges. Some people may not see the transition clearly, but we’ve kept backing the players, the support staff has kept backing them, and we’ll keep getting results in the future as well,” Gambhir added.
Although India has drawn the Test series in England this year and won the Champions Trophy under his term, they were completely outclassed by New Zealand in a three-Test series played at home last year.
