Don’t take Sri Lanka lightly, stay fit: Gambhir bids farewell to T20I squad

India head coach Gautam Gambhir urged his players to stay fit and continue to improve during their month-long break from T20I cricket after India wrapped up a successful five-match series against New Zealand.

India clinched the series 3-2 despite losing the last two matches in New Zealand. The visitors got off to a flying start, winning the first three games to seal the match before the hosts fought back to finish on a high.

Addressing the players in the dressing room after the fifth T20I, Gambhir praised the team’s efforts, especially considering the limited time to prepare and the tough playing in unfamiliar conditions.

“You can be extremely proud of the effort you put in during the series. To win the series, especially when you had only one day to prepare and played against a quality team like New Zealand in their own backyard, is an amazing achievement. You should be extremely proud,” Gambhir told the players in the dressing room.

The Indian campaign was not without problems. Ishan Kishan has missed two matches due to injury concerns the bowling attack had a relatively inexperienced lookwith Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav making their New Zealand debut.

Despite these setbacks, India managed to gain control early in the series and secure an important away win. Gambhir also reminded the players that their job was to set the tone for the rest of India’s tour of New Zealand.

“You can come back with your head held high. We wanted to win the last two matches as well, but sometimes these things happen. I thought you set the tone for the rest of the tour. I said before the series started that you have a responsibility to set the tone. Now it’s up to the ODI and Test teams to pick up where you left off,” he said.

GAMBHIR’S BREAK REPORT

With the New Zealand T20I series behind them, India’s next engagement in the format will come in December when they host Sri Lanka in a three-match series.

The players will be about a month away from T20 international cricket. However, Gambhir was clear that the break should not mean a dip in fitness or preparation.

“We know we are not playing enough T20 cricket and now we have a month off. So make sure we stay fit and prepare well for Sri Lanka,” he said.

The India coach also emphasized the need for the team to keep improving rather than getting complacent after winning the series.

“We cannot take any opposition lightly. We have to continue to grow as a team, think as a team and play as a team,” Gambhir added.

India will now turn their attention to the upcoming ODI and Test tasks against New Zealand, with the T20I group regrouping ahead of the Sri Lanka series in December.

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