Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir hails ‘team-first’ ideology after Oval thriller

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir breathed a sigh of relief after Shubman Gill’s young team pulled off a six-run victory in the Oval Test to level the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The dramatic win came thanks to a spirited Day 5 effort from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who claimed the final four England wickets with just 35 runs needed.

Siraj, leading the attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, bagged three wickets on the final day to complete a five-wicket haul and nine wickets in the match, earning the Player of the Match award.

For Gambhir, the result was about more than just a win—it was a statement of intent. “This team will never be individual-centric, it will be about the collective,” he said in a BCCI video. “I’ve always believed you should get what you deserve, not what you want. The boys deserved this.”

The victory was especially significant for Gambhir, who had faced criticism after Test series losses to New Zealand at home and Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin retired from Tests, Gill’s young side carried the weight of expectation—and delivered a memorable fightback against England.