3 Key Takeaways From The First Test Series Of Rohit-Gambhir Era

Rohit Sharma [Source: PTI]Rohit Sharma [Source: PTI]

India made history with their victory over Bangladesh in the second Test of the two-match series at Kanpur. This win, the fourth-quickest in terms of balls faced in the game's history, not only completed a clean sweep over Bangladesh but also solidified India's position at the top of the WTC points table. 

Notably, this was the first Test series in India, with Rohit Sharma as the captain and Gautam Gambhir as the head coach. Here are three takeaways from the duo's first venture in the longest format. 

3. Horses for Courses

In both Tests, the team combination was discussed extensively beforehand. Most cricket fans and experts believed that India should go with three spinners and two pacers, given that the pitches would wear out by the end of the game. However, India preferred three pacers and two spinners in both matches.

While the predicted bounce was the main reason behind the decision in the first Test at Chennai, the overcast weather on Day 1 induced the choice in the second Test at Kanpur. Even during the second match, we saw Rohit Sharma electing to field first after winning the toss. This was an indication of the positive mentality of the team. Everything from the team combination to the toss decision led us to the inference that the think tank of this team does not believe in or stick to traditional beliefs. Instead, gut feeling and instinct drive the team more. 

2. Backing the youngsters

In both matches, we saw that the management backed Akash Deep. Even though he did not pick up many wickets, the management backed him, seeing the rhythm he was in and the pressure he was creating on the batters. This refers to the fact that this team's traditional way of thinking within the numbers is not affecting its decision. They are ready to back a player by the display he puts on the field rather than the reputation or the number that precedes him. 

1. Winning at all costs mentality

The second Test at Kanpur was hit by rain for the first three days. Even then, India did not play for a Draw. They wanted a positive result, evident in their batting during the first innings. Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal set the stage for the team with a blazing partnership at the top, and the whole team did their best to maintain momentum. KL Rahul was even heard saying after the game that the message was clear: go after the bowling even if wickets fall. This approach saw India score runs at a rate of over 8 per over during the innings.

The positive attitude of the batters in the first innings set the match up for the team, and the Indian team was able to win the game by seven wickets and seal a 2-0 win in the series.