Indian coach Gautam Gambhir confident of dominating Test cricket after England series

Dubai: Under mounting pressure after two back-to-back Test series defeats, India coach Gautam Gambhir headed into the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with a young squad and little public expectation. But five hard-fought Tests later, the narrative has flipped — India may not have clinched the series, but a 2-2 draw away in England has revitalised belief in the team’s red-ball future.

Following India’s thrilling six-run win in the final Test at The Oval on Monday, Gambhir exuded quiet confidence in the team’s direction and spoke of building a lasting culture in the dressing room.

“We will keep getting better, we will keep working hard, and if we keep doing that, we can dominate Test cricket for a very long period,” Gambhir told his players in a post-match dressing room video shared by the BCCI.

With key senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli having retired from the longest format, Gambhir and new skipper Shubman Gill had to rely on a fresh group of players. And they stepped up — notably Washington Sundar, who was named India’s Impact Player of the series.

The 25-year-old all-rounder played four of the five Tests, scoring 284 runs at 47.33, including a gritty century at Old Trafford and a swashbuckling 53 in the final innings at The Oval. With the ball, he contributed seven wickets and famously ran through England’s middle order at Lord’s.

“Always wanted to do really well here. Just the way we went about every single day was amazing. The energy we created, we were always there for each other,” Washington said after receiving the medal from Ravindra Jadeja.

Jadeja himself had a solid series with both bat and ball, even as India relied heavily on their pacers due to the conditions and team combinations. Mohammed Siraj, who led the attack with grit and heart, was named Player of the Match in the final Test for his nine-wicket haul, including the decisive breakthrough on Day 5.

India’s victory at The Oval, where England needed just 35 more runs with six wickets in hand at one stage, encapsulated the resilience that came to define this young squad. Prasidh Krishna, who bowled a game-changing spell alongside Siraj, called it a “collective effort” and credited the backroom staff for keeping the team physically ready for the series finale.

While India’s 2-2 draw denied them a series win, it marked the beginning of a new era under Gill, who led with both bat and intent. His series tally of 754 runs shattered Garry Sobers’ long-standing record for most runs by a touring captain in a Test series, and was second only to Don Bradman’s 810.

“Very happy with the way everyone contributed. Different people stepping in at different moments — that’s what you want as a captain,” Gill said. “Personally, I’m very happy with the way I performed as a batsman as well.”

Veteran KL Rahul, who finished with 532 runs, called it one of the most rewarding series of his career. “Extremely special and right up there in terms of the best Test series I’ve been part of,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin, now retired from the format, said on his YouTube channel that this series even surpassed the legendary 2005 Ashes in drama and storytelling.

“There was so much more imperfection from both sides — and that was the beauty of it. Players corrected their mistakes and made the series feel like a festival,” Ashwin said.

Indeed, both teams had their flaws. India fielded an untested pace battery outside of Siraj and Bumrah, and experimented with their No 3 slot. England, too, missed experienced campaigners like Stuart Broad and James Anderson and were inconsistent with the ball. Yet, it only added to the drama.

India’s performances in England — a place where subcontinental sides traditionally struggle — have now set the tone for the Gill-Gambhir era. With their next Test challenge looming in South Africa later this year, the signs are encouraging.

As Gambhir put it: “People will come and go, but the culture we create must endure. That is what will make us a great Test team.”