"Expected Something Like This": Gautam Gambhir's Fiery Reply To 'Accountability' Question After South Africa Series Loss
India head coach Gautam Gambhir reflected on the team's disappointing Test series defeat to South Africa at home.
- India head coach Gautam Gambhir was asked how he quantifies accountability from a team perspective
- The hosts suffered a record 408-run loss in the second Test against South Africa, conceding the series 2-0
- "I expected something like that. It comes from care. What you care about the dressing room," said Gambhir
India head coach Gautam Gambhir reflected on the team's disappointing Test series defeat to South Africa at home. The hosts, in the absence of captain Shubman Gill, suffered a record 408-run loss in the second Test in Guwahati, conceding the series 2-0. This was India's heaviest defeat in terms of runs in the longest format, exposing cracks in the current Test setup. In response to South Africa's 489 and 260/5d, the Indian team could only manage a combined 341 runs (201 and 140) across both innings.
India coach Gambhir was asked how he quantifies accountability from a team perspective.
"I expected something like that. It comes from care. What you care about the dressing room, how much you care about the dressing room and the team. Because accountability and the game situation can never be taught. Yes, you can talk about the skills, you can work on the skills, you can keep talking about the mental aspect of the game but ultimately when you go in, if you keep putting the team ahead of your own self, not thinking that this is how I play and this is how I will get the results and this is how I play, I don't want to play the second, I don't have plan B. So sometimes you will get these kind of collapses as well."
"So for me I think accountability is important and more than the accountability, it is the care, how much you care about Indian cricket and how much you care about the team and people sitting in the dressing room is important as well," he added.
The head coach also admitted that the entire team, including himself, must take responsibility for the loss.
"The blame lies with everyone and starts with me," said Gambhir on being asked about whom should be blamed for the loss.
"We need to play better. From 95/1 to 122/7 is not acceptable. You don't blame any individual or any particular shot. Blame lies with everyone. I never blamed individuals and won't do it going forward," he added.
India Cricket Team
South Africa Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir