Gautam Gambhir praises Virat Kohli's relentless drive for runs and expresses confidence in the veteran batsman's ability to score big against New Zealand.

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 14: Ahead of the three-match series against New Zealand, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed confidence in star batter Virat Kohli, highlighting his continued hunger for runs as he prepares for both the series and the upcoming tour to Australia.

The Indian team aims to maintain its home dominance when they face New Zealand starting October 16, with the first Test in Bengaluru. Kohli's performance will be pivotal for India's success. While he has been relatively consistent since scoring his 28th Test century against Australia in March last year, he has struggled to play lengthy innings throughout the 2020s.

In 31 Tests during this decade, Kohli has accumulated 1,745 runs at an average of 33.55, managing only two centuries and eight fifties across 54 innings, a stark contrast to his impressive record from 2010 to 2019.

This year, Kohli has made 157 runs over six innings in three Tests, averaging 31.40 with a top score of 47. However, in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, he has fared better, scoring 468 runs in 10 innings at an average of 52.00, including one century and two fifties, with his highest score being 121. In the recent series against Bangladesh, Kohli amassed just 99 runs in four innings, with his best score being 47.

During a pre-match press conference, Gambhir referred to Kohli as a "world-class cricketer." 

"Virat has always been a world-class cricketer. He has performed for such a long period, and he is as hungry as when he made his debut. I remember opening the batting with him when he debuted in Sri Lanka. His hunger remains constant," Gambhir stated. 

He added, "That is what makes him a world-class player, and I'm sure he will be eager to score runs in this series and during the tour to Australia. Once he finds his rhythm, he can be incredibly consistent."

Kohli has a commendable record against New Zealand, scoring 866 runs in 11 Tests at an average of 45.57, with three centuries and three fifties in 21 innings, his best being 211.

Regarding the selection of spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who did not participate in the Tests against Bangladesh, Gambhir commented, "We do not leave anyone out; we just choose the playing eleven we believe can perform well. We have many quality bowlers, including Kuldeep."

The head coach recognized New Zealand as a "different challenge" for India, noting that they have quality players capable of causing problems. 

"They have players who can perform, and we respect them, but we don't fear anyone. I’ve said this many times: we will always respect our opponents, and we aim to play the game with hard work on the field," he explained.

On the topic of run-scoring in modern Test cricket, Gambhir emphasized the importance of adaptability, stating that Team India wants to be capable of scoring 400 runs in a day and also batting for two days to secure a draw if necessary.

"You call that growth, adaptability, and it defines Test cricket. If you play the same way, it is not growth. We have players who can score 400 or 450 runs in one day and others who can bat for two days to save a match. We want to play this style of cricket," he added.

Gambhir also mentioned that the team is not focusing on the ICC World Test Championship scheduled for next year, as their current focus is solely on the series against New Zealand.

India announced a 15-player squad for the upcoming three Tests against New Zealand, which begins on October 16 in Bengaluru. Following the Bangladesh Tests, where Rohit Sharma led the team, Jasprit Bumrah has been named vice-captain for this series.

India has been dominant in Test cricket at home, having not lost a series since their defeat to England in the 2012-13 season. Since then, they have won 18 consecutive home Test series and have remained undefeated for over 4,000 days. In contrast, New Zealand recently experienced a 2-0 series defeat against Sri Lanka, losing the first Test by 63 runs and the second by an innings and 154 runs.

India's squad for the three Tests against New Zealand includes Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep.

Traveling reserves are Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna.

The New Zealand squad comprises Tom Latham (C), Tom Blundell (WK), Michael Bracewell (1st Test only), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi (2nd and 3rd Test only), Tim Southee, and Kane Williamson.