Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has revealed that his team isn’t looking too far ahead but is focusing on registering their third successive Test series win in Sri Lanka. India is currently placed fifth in the WTC standings as they aim to make it to their third WTC final.
Speaking in the pre-match press conference ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, Gambhir insisted the Indian team be present and not focus much on the future, winning a Test at a time.
“The entire focus is about looking forward to the next five days and more importantly looking at every session and every hour as well. You don’t control what’s going to happen over the next five days. You can only control what you can control in that first session and that one particular hour,” Gambhir said.
“And that is how we want to see these things as well. It’s not about where we’re going to be at the end of the World Test Championship cycle. It’s about if we can continue to try and win Test matches, everything else will take care of itself,” he added.
“So rather than thinking too much ahead, let’s try and stay in the present. And that is what the beauty of sport is. The more you stay in the present, the more you have the opportunity to get the results in your favour,” he stated.
Interestingly, Kuldeep Yadav, who scalped only one wicket in the first Test, has been axed from the playing XI for the second Test. Gambhir highlighted the value Kuldeep brings to the team, stressing that having an attacking wicket-taking option like him is always an advantage.
“We know how good a bowler Kuldeep is. More importantly, sometimes it is up to the captain as well. He feels that if his two other spinners can get him wickets looking at the conditions, what pace he wants a certain spinner to bowl. It is not about guys under-bowling. It is about getting the result. For me, I think that is more important,” said Gambhir.
