"No Excuse": Gambhir Slammed For 'Continuously Losing', Given Ultimatum

Team India began their five-match tour of England with a demoralizing defeat in the final session of Day 5 of the first Test. Despite looking in control of the match and scoring over 800 runs in the match, including five centurions, India ended up on the losing side. The result makes it seven defeats in the last nine Tests for India, putting the pressure firmly on head coach Gautam Gambhir, who has overseen this decline. Former India cricketer and reputed pundit Aakash Chopra also admitted that Gambhir is under serious pressure.

"There is a lot of pressure on Gautam Gambhir. The pressure is absolutely mounting. If you look at his performances in Test cricket, you will find that he has not won a lot of matches," Chopra said, speaking on his YouTube channel.

"He won two matches against Bangladesh and one against Australia. However, he lost three against New Zealand, three against Australia and one against England. He has been continuously losing," Chopra stated.

Chopra stated that Gambhir's future as India's head coach in Test cricket may be in serious jeopardy if he loses the India series.

"But in Test cricket, I think the questions are going to be there. And I think there is a lot of pressure on this series," Chopra said.

"If the England series doesn't go too well, then there will be a question mark - where are they going and what are they doing? Because the selectors will feel that whatever team management is asking for, it is being given. The type of player you want, the number of players you want, and the player you are pointing at are being given. So, if that is the case, you need to deliver the results. Period. There are no excuses," Chopra said.

Meanwhile, India coach Gautam Gambhir has backed his side's raw bowling attack to "deliver for us" despite a chastening defeat by England in the first Test at Headingley.

India have said they only plan to play Bumrah in three matches of this five-Test series against England, which continues at Edgbaston next week, in a bid to maintain his fitness following a back injury.

Gambhir insisted that was still the plan, even though India are now under pressure to get back into the series with a victory in Birmingham. Reports state that Bumrah is all set to miss the second Test, as a result.

The second Test begins on Wednesday, July 2.

With AFP inputs

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