'This is what we wanted': Defiant head coach Gautam Gambhir lashes out at pitch critics after India slumps to 30 runs defeat

[Gollum]

LINK

 

"There was no demon in this wicket. It was not an unplayable one," Gambhir said after off-spinner Simon Harmer bowled South Africa to a 30-run victory in the series opener.

 

"This was not a typical turning track. Majority of the wickets were claimed by the seamers," Gambhir said.

 

"It was more of a test of your technique and mental toughness... Those who defended well scored runs.

 

"This is exactly what we wanted but when you don't play well, this is what happens."

[Gollum]

Yeh log nahi sudhrenge. Maybe another whitewash can force BCCI's hand, but TM is convinced this is the way to go. Expect more of the same in Guwahati.

[Austin 3:!6]

Gambhir is a poor coach and a toxic individual. Yes we won CT 25, Asia cups etc but that is due to teams we had and nothing special done by coach.

 

Now I realize why Dhoni did what he did to him during playing days.

[nitinbwj]

Yeah. This what you want. You should be in a mental asylum fool

[Gollum]

No demons in the wicket. That is why top score is 55, top match aggregate is 60, and only 3 players crossed the 30 mark across 4 innings. 

 

Edited November 16, 2025 by Gollum

[putrevus]

No you idiot india didn’t lose this test due to pitch , it lost due to your crappy team selection along with another idiot Agarkar.

 

You went into the match with one batsman and he was injured, what  did you expect will happen.

[Gollum]

 

[Manucrick]

This guy is out of his mind 

[New guy]

1 hour ago, Gollum said:

Yeh log nahi sudhrenge. Maybe another whitewash can force BCCI's hand, but TM is convinced this is the way to go. Expect more of the same in Guwahati.

So much for the theory that the curator made the pitch without Gambhirs approval. Knew it was Gambhirs plan all along.

[Manucrick]

3 minutes ago, New guy said:

So much for the theory that the curator made the pitch without Gambhirs approval. Knew it was Gambhirs plan all along.

Of course its small man plan  most people know that some people are blind to know that 

[adkrish22290]

3 hours ago, Gollum said:

LINK

 

"There was no demon in this wicket. It was not an unplayable one," Gambhir said after off-spinner Simon Harmer bowled South Africa to a 30-run victory in the series opener.

 

"This was not a typical turning track. Majority of the wickets were claimed by the seamers," Gambhir said.

 

"It was more of a test of your technique and mental toughness... Those who defended well scored runs.

 

"This is exactly what we wanted but when you don't play well, this is what happens."

Yet this small man was himself terrible on such unplayable wickets when he played, he has no moral right to say this.

[rollingstoned]

Double down on a losing hand. 

[rkt.india]

1 hour ago, New guy said:

So much for the theory that the curator made the pitch without Gambhirs approval. Knew it was Gambhirs plan all along.

But Gambhir doesn't think it was a turning track. Gambhir said it wasn't a rank turner. They wanted this which means they didn't want rank turner. And even I don't think it was a rank turner in true sense. It was an inconsistent pitch, two paced too. Some ball turned, some didn't. Variable pace. Fast bowlers too picked wickets due to that. Inconsistent pitches are as bad.

Edited November 16, 2025 by rkt.india

[goose]

ashwin says this wasn't a turner just a bad pitch where batsman couldn't trust it

 

 

[putrevus]

16 minutes ago, goose said:

ashwin says this wasn't a turner just a bad pitch where batsman couldn't trust it

 

 

He is correct, it was not a bunsen burner.

[New guy]

30 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

But Gambhir doesn't think it was a turning track. Gambhir said it wasn't a rank turner. They wanted this which means they didn't want rank turner. And even I don't think it was a rank turner in true sense. It was an inconsistent pitch, two paced too. Some ball turned, some didn't. Variable pace. Fast bowlers too picked wickets due to that. Inconsistent pitches are as bad.

Ashwin said the same thing. This was not a rank turner, but Gambhir said this was exactly the pitch he wanted. He wants this kind of inconsistent bouncy pitches which detoriates 

[R!TTER]

39 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

But Gambhir doesn't think it was a turning track. Gambhir said it wasn't a rank turner. They wanted this which means they didn't want rank turner. And even I don't think it was a rank turner in true sense. It was an inconsistent pitch, two paced too. Some ball turned, some didn't. Variable pace. Fast bowlers too picked wickets due to that. Inconsistent pitches are as bad.

What's a rank turner according to you then? This was certainly a rank turner albeit a slow one, you know the kind we wanted in 2023 WC finals but we had black soil there! Quick turners, like Mumbai 2004 or Nagpur 2015, Pune 2017 et al are only possible on red soil. It seems you, or GG, don't have a clue about the turn which was available here. Jadeja was turning it a mile in the last session yesterday.

[Gollum]

When pacers were operating, it behaved like the '24 T20 WC New York pitch. Maybe some of the earlier era WI pitches were also like this.

[rkt.india]

17 minutes ago, New guy said:

Ashwin said the same thing. This was not a rank turner, but Gambhir said this was exactly the pitch he wanted. He wants this kind of inconsistent bouncy pitches which detoriates 

Yes such pitches are worse.

[rkt.india]

8 minutes ago, R!TTER said:

What's a rank turner according to you then? This was certainly a rank turner albeit a slow one, you know the kind we wanted in 2023 WC finals but we had black soil there! Quick turners, like Mumbai 2004 or Nagpur 2015, Pune 2017 et al are only possible on red soil. It seems you, or GG, don't have a clue about the turn which was available here. Jadeja was turning it a mile in the last session yesterday.

Rank turner is one where ball turns consistently and there is less unintentional variation in turn. Turn may be slow or fast. Some ball, turning, some staying straight unintentionally isn't a rank turner but a minefield.