'It should hurt and that... ' - Gautam Gambhir opens up after India's home Test series lost against New Zealand

In an attempt to motivate his team to get better, head coach Gautam Gambhir admitted that Team India were 'hurt' following their first home Test series loss in twelve years. Gambhir stressed that all members of the team had to accept responsibility for the series loss and that it wasn't only the batters.

With important ICC World Test Championship points at stake, the third Test at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium is still vital even if they lose to New Zealand 0–2. Gambhir, who was named head coach earlier this year, defended his team by focusing on team accountability rather than focusing on the batting order.

New Zealand's seam and swing skills caused India problems in Bengaluru, and they once again outperformed Rohit Sharma's team in Pune on a track that is usually favourable to the hosts because of its spin. Even at home, India's adaptability has come under scrutiny due to the unexpected losses.

In light of the challenging beginning of his coaching career, Gautam Gambhir expressed his dissatisfaction while maintaining optimism regarding the consequences of this setback. "I am not going to sugarcoat that it is hurting. It should hurt and that will make us better. What is wrong in being in this position? I am sure this will push the youngsters to be better cricketers. If we have results like Kanpur, might as well have results like this and keep moving forward," Gambhir added.

India concentrate on winning the third Test match

In the first two Test matches, the formidable Indian batting lineup has had difficulty holding the crease and scoring significant runs. Gambhir, nevertheless, thinks that India's strategy for every session is as significant. "That's how Test cricket should be played. We should be able to score 400 runs in a day if we have to. However, it also concerns how we manage sessions. "It should take four and a half sessions to establish a strong lead," he said. Although they are now in the lead, India has to win at least four of their next six Test matches, including five in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, to guarantee a position in their third straight final.

In order to improve their prospects of participating in the June final at Lord's, the hosts are eager to get over their recent defeats and concentrate on winning in Mumbai. As a result, Rohit Sharma's team might have to put experience ahead of experimentation, which would leave little space for new players who haven't yet appeared in the series.