India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has spoken strongly in support of head coach Gautam Gambhir, who has been in the spotlight during the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. Under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, India managed to level the five-match series 2-2.
Speaking to RevSportz on Sunday, August 17, Shardul was asked about the criticism directed at Gambhir following India’s Test defeats, first in the 2024 home series against New Zealand and later during the away tour of Australia.
In response, Shardul said that criticism is part and parcel of the game, but praised Gambhir for bringing fresh energy and motivation into the side, adding that the team is progressing in the right direction.
He remarked, “Yes, we have always seen him as a player who is willing to fight for the team, and even during the huddles, he transferred that energy into us, the one that he brought into the field during his playing days.”
“He is an achiever who has won trophies for the nation and the state. And he brings all those experiences and motivations into the team. Criticism will come and go, but as a team, winning matters, and I believe we are heading in the right direction when it comes to that.”
Shardul Thakur Shares Gautam Gambhir’s Inspiring Words To Team India
During the conversation, Shardul Thakur also spoke about India’s performance under new Test captain Shubman Gill, who guided the young side to a drawn result in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England.
He acknowledged that the team was short on experience after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma but credited head coach Gautam Gambhir for instilling confidence in the group. Shardul remarked:
“When your backs are against the wall, there is no going back and that was the situation, having two of the most senior pro players [Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma] retiring from the game, and not having Mohammed Shami in the squad. The bit of experience this team had was in form of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.”
“The batting unit was fairly inexperienced, except for KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. This team had no other option than to rise and put up a fight, because at the end of the day, you are representing India.”
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