Gautam Gambhir ahead of Bangladesh Tests© AFP
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke to reporters, donning his candid avatar like always. When the topic of Japsprit Bumrah came up, Gambhir expressed his delight at the appreciation a fast bowler is getting in India, as the country has traditionally worshiped batters more than bowlers. Bumrah has undoubtedly risen the ranks when it comes to Indian cricket's superstars when Ravichandran Ashwin recently named him as the team's 'Most Valuable Player' at present. Gambhir didn't hold back as the called the country a 'batting obsessed nation'. Gambhir, during the presser, also sent a message to Bangladesh, for their heroic 2-0 victory against Pakistan in the recently concluded Test series.
"Jasprit Bumrah is the best fast bowler in the world, across formats. It's great to have Bumrah in the dressing room, someone who can change the game at any point of time," he said.
Not just Bumrah, Gambhir also credited R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for changing people's perception towards bowlers.
"India is a batting-obsessed nation. But Bumrah, Ashwin, and Jadeja are changing that. Bumrah is smart in Test cricket. It is good these guys are changing the trend," Gambhir asserted.
With the Indian team up against Bangladesh next, a team that stunned Pakistan by winning both Tests, Gambhir congratulated the opponents for their achievement and said that the hosts would need to be switched on from the first ball.
"I have been big believer that we don't fear anyone but we respect everyone. It is the same with Bangladesh. We don't look at the opposition and play the game we know," he says.
"I Congratulate them for what they did in Pakistan. But this is a new series and they are a quality side and we want to play good cricket. Yes they have experience in Shakib, Mushfiqur and Mehidy but we want to be switched on from the first ball."
Gambhir has had average results as India's head coach in T20Is and ODIs so far. But, now he embarks upon a new adventure in Test cricket, a format he favours the most.