Gautam Gambhir's press conference: 5 scorching statements by head coach on West Indies Tests and what’s next for India

This was India's first Test series win under the leadership of Shubman Gill and a second win at home since Gambhir took over the coaching duty last year. India had defeated Bangladesh in September last year in Gambhir's maiden Test assignment as head coach, before suffering a forgettable 3-0 whitewash at the hands of New Zealand a month later.

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Gambhir not only spoke about the home series against the West Indies and his assessment of the team's performance, but also touched upon what lies ahead for the side, especially amid speculations about the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

5 scorching statements by Gautam Gambhir in post-match presser

2027 World Cup isn’t assured for Kohli and Rohit: The former India batter refused to guarantee the two senior batters a place in the team's plans for the ODI World Cup, saying the ICC tournament is still more than two years away and "it is important to stay in the present". Both Kohli and Rohit will be part of the upcoming three-match series against Australia, marking their return to international cricket after an eight-month absence. "Hopefully those two guys can have a successful tour, and more importantly, as a team we can have a successful series," Gambhir said when asked about the future of the two former skippers.

'Just be yourself': That is what Gambhir said when he asked what his advice would be for Gill, under whom India drew a series in England, before winning at home against the West Indies. The former India opener reiterated that the 25-year-old has already passed his "toughest test as a Test captain," which was in England, where he scored a record 754 runs in five games, while leading the team to a sensational 2-2 draw. "Five test matches over a course of two-and-a-half months, against a quality England side, against an intimidating batting lineup and leading an inexperienced Indian team. What more could he have faced?"

Later this same week, Gill will don the ODI captaincy armband for the first time in his career, after the selectors made the official announcement earlier this month, keeping the 2027 World Cup in mind. Gambhir added: "No one has done him a favour by appointing him the test and one-day captain. I think he deserves every bit of it. He's worked hard and he ticks all the boxes... what more can a coach ask for?"

'World cricket needs West Indies': Despite the moment of scare that the visitors inflicted on Day 4 in Delhi, after they responded bravely to India's follow-on decision by setting a 121-run target, Gambhir was all praise for the West Indies for putting up the fight. The decline in the standard of one of the greatest powerhouses in international cricket has been a major concern for a long time, a factor that stems from the easy freelance route to T20 franchise leagues and the financial stability it provides.

Gambhir said: "I always believe that world cricket needs West Indies cricket. It was very important and nice to see them fight. Obviously, it's an inexperienced team, but the way they fought will given them a lot on confidence.

Nitish Reddy continue to be backed: The all-rounder bowled just four overs in the Test series, all of which came in the opener in Ahmedabad last week. The move to not give him bowling duties in the Delhi Test sparked criticism, but Gambhir defended the move saying, his sheer presence in the line-up and watching Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj operate in home conditions is also part of getting an exposure. He further added explained that it would be unfair for the youngster to only be picked for tough overseas campaign and hence the management would continue to back him for home Tests.

He said: "It does not matter how many overs he bowls. It is important to me that he is gaining experience at home. Sometimes you learn a lot just by playing a Test match, and we just don't want to use a 23-year-old only during tough tours away from home, and that wouldn't be fair on him. When he has done well overseas, he deserves a go at home. And whenever we have the opportunity to include him in the Indian team, we will do so to groom him."

Stress on domestic cricket: Gambhir once again stressed the importance of playing domestic cricket in preparations for any international fixtures, as he pointed out that the players who have been doing well in Ranji and India A games, have been among the run-getters in the past few series.

He said: "The best thing that happened was how the Test regulars prepared for this series. Deciding to play the India A game was very important, and playing the Ranji before the South Africa matches will also be important. This is something that this group of players have done really well.

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