With Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya set to miss out on the upcoming India vs West Indies ODI series, head coach Gautam Gambhir said that both the senior players were very important in the team’s ODI scheme of things going into next year with the 2027 World Cup in mind.
“Whether it’s Hardik, whether it’s Jasprit Bumrah, both of them are going to be extremely important for us in South Africa. Because the way if you talk about Jassi or if you talk about Hardik, very few teams have a player like that who can bowl 10 overs for you, plus bat at number six or seven, plus with that impact,” Gambhir said on JioStar.
“…especially for Hardik, because he needs game time as well. Because after the IPL he hasn’t played a lot of cricket. So if the focus is only that he has to play the 50-over format, then he might be short of cricket….game time going into the World Cup is going to be extremely, extremely important. You cannot go there half-cooked. So you should have enough game time, your rhythm should be so good, because going to the World Cup, there are no ifs and buts,” he added.
Gambhir also sang praises for skipper Shubman Gill and added that the young captain is fortunate to have the likes of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to guide him in the 50-over format.
“In ODIs, he (Gill) is very fortunate that he has got the likes of Rohit and Virat to help him on and off the field. Leaving out anyone in Indian cricket from the playing eleven is always going to be tough. But when you have to do that as a young captain, it is probably the toughest job for any coach and captain to do it. So far, he has done that. He has actually ticked all the boxes,” Gambhir said.
“I feel that he has done all the right things…he has had a bit of a tough time in One Day cricket. But I am sure, I think things will turn around because he has done all the right things,” Gambhir added referring to Gill losing ODI series against England, Australia (away), and New Zealand (home).
Watch the three-match ODI Series of the West Indies tour of India, from September 27 to October 3, 2 PM onwards, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network