Nice to have Gautam Gambhir back in team: Anil Kumble

Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara may have drawn criticism for his slow strike rate during the tour of West Indies but India coach Anil Kumble on Wednesday threw his weight behind the batsman saying he’s a vital cog in the team’s scheme of things and no one has put pressure on him.

Kumble said the talks about strike-rate in Tests should be confined to the bowlers. “I’m a bit old fashioned. I know there is a lot of strike rate in the last eight years after the advent of T20. As far as I was concerned, when I was playing in Test cricket strike rate was spoken about bowlers, not batsmen,” Kumble said.

Gautam Gambhir has been called in as a replacement for the injured K.L. Rahul and the left handed opening batsman is back in the Test team after two years. On playing Gambhir, he said all 15 would be available for selection.

“It’s actually nice to have Gautam back. Unfortunately Rahul got injured in the last Test match. I think something’s happening with the openers. For some reason they are getting injured. Vijay got injured in West Indies. Now Rahul. It’s unfortunate. Rahul was batting brilliantly,” Kumble said.