Gautam Gambhir Labels India's T20I Series Win Over NZ As "Incredible", Explains Why

India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Sunday hailed his team's "incredible" T20I series win over New Zealand, saying the players' ruthless approach made up for the lack of preparation time. India just had time for one training session in unfamiliar conditions before playing the series opener on October 22 at Christchurch. The team overcame jet-lag and lack of preparation to win the first three games and seal the five-match series. New Zealand won the final two games. "Look, first of all, obviously it's an incredible effort because the boys got only one day to prepare," Gambhir told reporters after the fifth and final T20I here.

"They arrived on the 20th (of October), we practiced on the 21st... different conditions, different weather conditions, different dimensions, playing against a quality side like New Zealand in their own backyard with the amount of experience they had in T20 cricket, plus most of the boys were touring New Zealand for the first time.

"Boys can be extremely proud of their efforts, especially when you hardly got any time to prepare."

India would also be playing five ODIs and two Tests on this New Zealand tour but Gambhir said they could plan better for those challenges.

"I don't think we did a lot of planning for T20 cricket because we had two back-to-back series against the West Indies and New Zealand. But, obviously, there was a bit of planning when it comes to two Test matches because we wanted most of our Test players, whether it's the batters or the bowlers, to try and play at least one four-day game in these conditions," said the straight shooting coach.

What added to the challenge was the considerable presence of first timers in New Zealand.

"If this tour is difficult for anyone, then it's for the T20 side because our Test team will get time to prepare. Our one-day players will get time to prepare. But these players didn't have any time. And 70-80% of these players were coming to New Zealand for the first time.

"And the weather conditions that we're playing in and the conditions we're playing in, there are two extreme conditions. So, I believe that after a practice session, after a 15-hour flight, if guys can deliver that kind of a performance, especially against a quality side, a lot of credit needs to go to this side.

"I know a lot of people will not talk about it. But this is an achievement which we should always talk about because these guys were always under pressure and that is what is called ruthlessness. We wanted to win the next two as well, but sometimes things don't go in your favour as well," said the former India batter.

Shreyas has done a fabulous job with an inexperienced bowling line-up

Gambhir also commended skipper Shreyas Iyer for getting the best out of the available resources. With no Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya to fall back upon, the inexperienced Indian bowling attack was put under constant pressure.

"He took over a very successful T20 team. The team that had won the World Cup and not lost a series in two years. We had challenging oppositions as well after the World Cup.

"We went to England (lost there as well as in Ireland) and we had given a lot of new guys that opportunity as well. We did lack a lot of experience, especially when you tour places like England and New Zealand.

"But this is a great opportunity as well, that if you start thinking of building for the next World Cup, you've got to give young players the opportunity and try and develop them while being on the road as well.

"Shreyas has done a fabulous job with so much inexperience in the bowling lineup because as a captain, you're only as good as how your bowlers or your batters perform. And especially with an inexperienced attack, he's done a phenomenal job," said Gambhir.

Asked if he is ever fazed by the challenges that come his way, Gambhir responded in his trademark style

"I'm not afraid of anything. There's no fear in my dictionary, my directory and my ideology. I think we are professionals. I've always believed that there are no excuses.

"Whatever is given to us, we'll try and get the best out of it. We'll try and keep performing and getting the results for the country," he said.

Talking about his own workload management as a head coach considering the hectic scheduling: "I know it's tough but I'm enjoying it because not many people get that opportunity to probably wear an India jersey again." 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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