Need to get better at playing on turning pitches: India Head coach Gautam Gambhir

Pallekele: India Head coach Gautam Gambhir praised the team for pulling off a win in the third T20I against Sri Lanka via a Super Over for a clean sweep series triumph. But he also urged the team to improve themselves on playing at pitches providing lots of turns.

At the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, India struggled against both pacers and spinners to post a modest 137/9. But India came back in the back-end of the match by restricting Sri Lanka to 137/8, after being 129/4 at one point, thanks to some tight bowling from part-timers Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav.

In the Super Over, India kept Sri Lanka to just two runs, before achieving the required runs on the first ball to seal 3-0 series win. “Guys, congratulations on a great series win. Congratulations to Surya as well, outstanding captaincy and more importantly, with the bat as well. I asked for something before the start of the game and you absolutely delivered it.”

“This is what happens when you keep fighting, (and when) you don’t give up. These kind of games happen and the only way these key games can happen (in our favour) is when we keep fighting on every delivery and for every run and this was the example.”

“We keep getting better, we keep improving our skills as well because we need to still get better on playing on wickets like these, because we might end up getting these kind of wickets (in future). So we should first assess the situation and conditions really quickly and what is the par score as well. There is a lot of learning from this game, but more important than not, this is a great series win,” said Gambhir in his dressing room chat video posted by BCCI on ‘X’.

He then went on to address a message specifically for Suryakumar, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravi Bishnoi, as they will not feature in the ODI leg of the tour starting on August 2 in Colombo.

“Some of the guys, who won’t be a part of the 50-over format (series against Sri Lanka), will have a longer break. So make sure when you come back for the Bangladesh series, you can take a break. You absolutely deserve it, but more importantly, keep your skills and especially the fitness levels high.”

“You don’t want to come for that series thinking that ‘okay, I can just turn up, probably deliver for the team’. So make sure that from the fitness point of view, the fitness levels are right up there,” added Gambhir.

Fast-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya praised Shubman Gill (39) and Parag (26) for their gritty 54-run stand, as well as of Washington Sundar (25) and Bishnoi (eight not out) for their crucial batting contributions.

“First of all, well done. In batting first, we were challenged, the conditions were difficult. But after losing those early wickets, Shubman and Riyan, the way they batter and created the partnership was brilliant.”

“When you speak about situational awareness, at that point of time what both of you did was very, very important. That gave us a platform to at least reach to a decent total (to which) our bowlers can make sure and bowl at the right areas. I always emphasise on the fact that the lower order has to come and chip in, and Washy (Washington Sundar) and those eight runs by Bishi (Ravi Bishnoi) was very important.”

Pandya went on to shower praise on Suryakumar for his out-of-the-box bowling changes at the end, as well as towards Washington for picking 2-23 and keeping Sri Lanka’s innings in Super Over to just two runs.

“As Gauti bhai mentioned, Surya, well done in making sure that the way you rotated the bowlers, showing faith in the bowlers which you gave (the ball to) in the last couple of overs that was brilliant and as a bowling group, obviously, it was fantastic.”

“Everyone chipped in, and Washy, well done buddy. When you win games like this, eventually it kind of takes us forward. We are taking it step-by-step, but this was definitely a right step going forward for the future and well done to all the guys who are playing ODIs, kill it, continue,” he concluded. IANS

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