Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes that head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill adopted an overly cautious approach in selecting the playing XI during the Test series in England. Karthik noted that Gambhir appears to be taking key decisions and should be prepared to receive both appreciation and criticism.
India, led by the young Gill, managed to pull off an impressive 2-2 draw against a strong England side. After trailing 1-2 in the series, the visitors clinched a narrow six-run victory in the final Test at The Oval to level the scoreline.
Despite the positive result, Dinesh Karthik remarked that Gautam Gambhir should reflect on the strategy of strengthening the batting at the cost of weakening the bowling attack. Speaking on Cricbuzz, he expressed his views on the selection approach.
“He has taken control of the team I feel. He is the driving force of this team with Shubman. The one thing that I feel he can do is almost look at being serious about picking 20 wickets as much as he feels depth in batting [is important]. He’s a terrific white-ball coach and the results have been there for us to see. But, in Test cricket, he is also learning on the job.”
“You could almost argue they picked a team not to lose. He is now getting his way, so he will be responsible for everything that happens in the Indian team. If it does well, credit to him. If it doesn’t do well, he should put his hands up and say, ‘we made a mistake’,” the 40-year-old went on to add.
Dinesh Karthik Applauds India’s Young Pacers For Stepping Up In England
Jasprit Bumrah’s workload during the 2025 series was widely debated, but Karthik supported the decision to play him in only three Tests and dismissed claims that India performs better without him. He stated:
“You have to look at it from Jasprit Bumrah’s point of view. I think, these kind of wins, the way the series has panned out, the way the young team has fought, it will actually help him in his career. I believe Jasprit Bumrah will be very proud of this young bowling attack.”
“The stat of India winning when he doesn’t play is not his mistake. He is so impactful that others pale in comparison. I hope he will have a longer career, knowing he can pick and choose matches. Two back injuries, one nasty ACL that he had, it’s not easy,” the 40-year-old added.
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