Can appreciate individual performances but can't celebrate series loss: Gautam Gambhir
'Commendable' performances in a losing cause should 'never' be celebrated, said India head coach Gautam Gambhir as he took a critical view of the team's recent ODI series defeat to Australia.
In an interview to 'bcci.tv', Gambhir said while he can be happy for the individuals who succeed but one should never lose track of the bigger picture -- a series loss in this case.
The ODI series Down Under marked the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to competitive cricket after the IPL. Sharma was adjudged player of the series for a hundred in the third ODI that India won to avoid a whitewash and a 73-run knock in the lost second game.
Kohli, after consecutive ducks in the first two matches, came good with a 74-run effort in the final match. There were also impressive individual efforts by Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel during the series.
Gambhir, however, did not take names and neither did the question thrown at him mention anyone in specific.
"...I've always been a believer that it's not about the individual performances. I can be very happy with the individual performances, and I will always remain happy with individual performances.
"But ultimately it's the loss of one day's series, that's the bottom line and I can never celebrate a series loss as a coach," he asserted.
Rohit and Kohli have retired from both Tests and T20 Internationals, causing their limited ODI appearances to become heavily-followed events for fans.
"As a player I can appreciate individuals, but as a coach I think it is my moral responsibility that we as a nation and we as individuals should never, never celebrate a series loss," Gambhir said.
India went on to win the five-match T20 International series after the one-dayers 2-1 and Gambhir said there was plenty to learn from that triumph as well.
"Ultimately we are representing the country, yes T20 series was different, we won the series, a lot of positives, but a lot of learning as well," he said.