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Gautam Gambhir Supports Indian Bowlers Following ODI Setback Against New Zealand

In the wake of a challenging fourth ODI against New Zealand, head coach Gautam Gambhir has voiced his support for the Indian bowling unit. Acknowledging the ups and downs of the game, he highlighted the importance of experience for the less-experienced seamers. Despite a tough outing where New Zealand scored 333 runs, Gambhir remains optimistic about the future of his bowlers. He praised their potential and emphasized that learning from such experiences is crucial. With the series now at 2-1, the stage is set for a decisive final match. Read on to discover Gambhir's insights and the match highlights.
By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 13, 2026, 20:18 IST

Gambhir's Encouragement for Young Bowlers

After a challenging fourth ODI against New Zealand, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed his confidence in the team's less-experienced bowlers. He emphasized that both successes and failures are integral to the sport and crucial for growth. Gambhir noted that the same bowling unit had previously achieved impressive results, dismissing opponents for scores as low as 130, and acknowledged the difficulties of managing a young bowling lineup as they gain valuable international experience.

In the earlier matches, India successfully restricted New Zealand to scores of 185 and 134. However, in the fourth ODI, the New Zealand batsmen turned the tide, amassing a substantial total of 333 runs. Gambhir remarked, "Good days will come, and bad days will pass too. This is the same bowling unit that has bowled teams out for 130, and days like these are part of the learning process. With an inexperienced bowling attack, things can often become challenging for both the captain and the support staff, as everyone is learning on the job. These are not bowlers who have entered international cricket as finished products; they are still learning and gaining experience."


Gambhir highlighted Gurnoor Brar's role in the bowling lineup, noting his effectiveness with the short ball during the middle overs, a strategy that had worked well in the earlier ODIs. He also commended Arshdeep Singh and Auqib Nabi for their performances, mentioning that Auqib was unfortunate not to have dismissed Will Young early in the innings after a catch was dropped by Rohit Sharma. Young capitalized on this chance, going on to score a pivotal century.

"Obviously we have one guy who has that [shorter] natural length, Gurnoor," Gambhir stated. "He hits the deck hard, and that is what his job is, to come in the middle overs and try and use that short ball, and that is exactly what he was successful with in the first two games. I thought Arsh [Arshdeep Singh] and Auqib bowled really well. Auqib was a bit unlucky because had we got Will Young in that first couple of overs, probably things could have been a lot different. Once you are in, you want to try and make the most of it, and that is what Will Young did. He got those two chances, and he made the most of it, and someone who gets 120 when you are batting first, obviously, you have capitalised on the opportunities," he concluded.


Will Young's impressive century (125 runs off 108 balls) and Matt Henry's outstanding bowling performance (6 wickets for 27 runs) set the stage for New Zealand's success. Key contributions from Tim Seifert (58 runs off 48 balls) and Finn Allen (41 runs off 30 balls) propelled the hosts to a commanding total of 333. After being put in to bat by India, New Zealand's top order excelled, with Young and Seifert providing a strong start. In response, India faced a challenging task against New Zealand's formidable pace attack, resulting in a significant batting collapse. This decisive victory allowed New Zealand to narrow India's series lead to 2-1, setting the stage for a critical final match on Sunday.