Gambhir: Getting bowled out for 89 in South Africa like-conditions before World Cup is concerning

File photo- Gambhir also said there was no such thing as ‘unplayable deliveries’, urging his batters to get better at decision-making and shot-selection. | Photo Credit: AFP

India getting bowled out for 89 against New Zealand in the fourth ODI here has left head coach Gautam Gambhir concerned ahead of the World Cup in South Africa in 2027.

After India suffered a crushing 244-run loss to New Zealand here on Friday, Gambhir admitted that the manner and speed of the batting collapse, rather than the low total, was a more pressing worry ahead of the global event.

“You’re always concerned when you get bundled out for 90-odd. Why won’t I be concerned? These are conditions which are going to be closest to what we might get during the World Cup,” Gambhir said at the post-match press conference.

“The bigger concern is not the runs. It’s how quickly we got bundled out, around 26 or 27 overs. That is something which is always a concern,” he added.

Batting first, New Zealand were all out for 333 in 50 overs before Matt Henry’s six-wicket haul helped the host dismiss the visitor in just 26.4 overs.

India had also struggled in the previous match, slipping to 111 for seven while chasing 135 in a rain-curtailed match, prompting Gambhir to underline the need for both technical and mental preparedness against the moving ball.

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He said the first 10 overs in New Zealand are particularly challenging, unlike in India where the initial phase is generally the easiest period for batting.

“If you get 35 or 40 in the first 10 overs without losing a wicket, that is also good enough. Here, it’s probably the most difficult time,” he said

Gambhir also said there was no such thing as ‘unplayable deliveries’, urging his batters to get better at decision-making and shot-selection.

“There are no unplayable deliveries in international cricket. We needed to see off the first 10 overs. Matt Henry bowled in good areas, but we should be able to negate that. There wasn’t a lot of deviation. More than seam, areas and length created problems for us. We got stuck in the crease.”