Gautam Gambhir Dismisses Spin Worries, Backs India's Batters To Handle World's Best

India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday dismissed concerns surrounding Indian batters' recent struggle against quality spin bowling, saying that the line-up has enough firepower to take on the best in the world. (More Sports News)

Speaking to media on the eve of the two-Test series against Bangladesh, Gambhir also said that the bowling quartet of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja has managed to offset India's obsession with batting.

"Our batting unit has so much quality that it can take on any spin unit," Gambhir asserted after being asked about the line-up's struggles in last month's white-ball series against Sri Lanka, especially in the ODI leg that India lost.

"There is a lot of difference between ODIs and Tests," he said.

He also heaped praise on the team's bowlers, who have proven to be consistent match-winners in recent times.

"India once was a batting-obsessed nation. But Bumrah, Shami, Ashwin and Jadeja have turned it into a bowlers' game," he pointed out.

"Bumrah is the best fast bowler in the world now who can make a difference at any stage of the game," he said.

Also drawing praise from the coach was comeback-man Rishabh Pant, who would be playing his first Test after recovering from a life-threatening car accident in 2022.

"Pant has done phenomenally well as a destructive batter but his wicket-keeping in Indian conditions has  been understated. His keeping against Ashwin and Jadeja is exceptional," Gambhir said.

The former opening batter once again rejected concerns around his equation with senior players in the dressing room.

"Everyone made a lot of hue and cry about it. But it's not true," he said referring to speculation that his outspoken demeanour would lead to tensions with senior players.