'My thoughts on Virat Kohli have always been very clear' - Gautam Gambhir not bothered about star batter's Test form

There is no doubt regarding India's near-pristine form in the longest format in 2024. They have won seven out of eight Tests in the year, and are looking set to boost their numbers when it comes to the upcoming three-match home series against New Zealand. However, there has been a constant speculation which has been revolving around ace batter Virat Kohli's form in Tests. Ever since his last red-ball century, which came in July 2023 against South Africa, he has been able to register just one score above the 50-run mark in eight innings.

Meanwhile, India head coach, Gautam Gambhir, spoke on the same issue and wasted no time before coming to the point which highlighted Kohli as a “world-class cricketer” to him. He was also confident that the voracious craving for runs will come in good for Kohli, during when he comes into bat in the series.

“My thoughts about Virat have always been very clear, that he is a world-class cricketer. He has performed for such a long period of time. He is as hungry as when he made his debut. To now, his hunger is always there. That hunger is what makes him a world-class cricketer. I am sure that he will be hungry to get runs in this series and probably moving forward to Australia as well,” stated Gambhir according to Hindustan Times.

Gambhir, despite being the ever-competitive person he is, was quick to admit why judging people after every game they played was unreasonable. He also noted that what mattered the most to him at the end of the day was the overall performance of the team.

“You don't keep judging people after every game. If you keep judging people after every game, that's not fair on them. It's a sport and people are bound to fail. But more importantly, I think if we can get the results, if people are doing what is needed of them to get the results in our favour, that is fine,” mentioned Gambhir.

Also Read: India v New Zealand 2024: Schedule, Squad, Live Streaming, Broadcasters & All you need to know

My job is to keep backing the players: Gambhir

Gambhir also iterated his main role in the dressing room, as well as reflected on the intent of the players of the squad heading into a lengthy red-ball season for India.

“Everyone doesn't have the best days every day. I think the kind of vibe we have is we keep backing our players. My job is to keep backing the players. My job is to keep selecting the best playing XI, not dropping anyone. I'm sure everyone is hungry, and they know there are eight Test matches in a row. So, this is probably the start of them looking at eight Test matches in a row and performing well,” added Gambhir.

Also Read: You don't really need Virat Kohli to contribute in home conditions: Sanjay Manjrekar

The first Test of the series is scheduled to commence on October 16, 2024. Regardless of what Gambhir had to say on Kohli, there will still be a lot of eyeballs glued as and when he arrives in the middle. It remains to be seen how the 35-year-old fares against the Kiwis.