Indian cricket is once again in the spotlight after a tough loss to South Africa and amid all the chatter, the former Indian skipper and former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has stepped in with a calm and clear message. Instead of targeting individuals, he believes the focus should be on strengthening the team’s mindset and approach.
Speaking after India’s 30-run defeat in the first Test of the home series, Sourav Ganguly dismissed any talk of removing Gautam Gambhir as head coach. He insisted that such a step is not even being considered. He explained that the players need to remind themselves to work hard collectively, especially because winning on flatter pitches demands patience and discipline. According to him, when the surface offers little help early on, teams score big runs and matches only start shifting dramatically on the fourth and fifth days.
Sourav Ganguly pointed out that India has the bowling attack needed to take twenty wickets, recalling performances at venues like the Oval and Edgbaston. He felt that even in the Indian conditions, as the ball gets older, swing becomes an important factor and can turn matches around if the team maintains the right mindset. He also expressed confidence in the partnership between Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill, mentioning that they had handled similar situations well in England on true batting pitches.
Sourav Ganguly also made an interesting observation about the Indian team’s preference for spin-friendly tracks. He said before the series that no request for a rank-turner had come from the team, yet after the defeat, he noted that they still ended up with exactly the kind of surface they wanted. The pattern of over-reliance on turning pitches has hurt India before, including last year’s 3-0 home whitewash against New Zealand.
With the second Test scheduled to begin at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium on November 22, Sourav Ganguly’s call for unity, patience and smart cricket arrives at a crucial moment for the team.
