"You don't compare oranges with apples" - Gautam Gambhir cheekily reacts to recent success as coach after IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 clash

Head coach Gautam Gambhir has advocated for honesty in all departments of Indian cricket for the team to taste success consistently. In what like seemed a veiled dig at critics who have questioned his performance as coach, he added that oranges cannot be compared with apples.

After a tough start to his tenure as Team India's head coach, Gambhir has tasted some success in recent times. Under Shubman Gill's captaincy, a young side drew the five-match Test series in England 2-2. Meanwhile, the Men in Blue have continued their impressive form in white-ball cricket. On Sunday, September 14, a ruthless India thumped Pakistan by seven wickets in Dubai in Asia Cup 2025.

During an interaction with former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan on Sony Sports, Gambhir opened up on his experience as head coach so far. Admitting that he never expected a bed of roses, the former opener stated:

"I've had my good days and bad days as well. That is what coaching is all about. I knew this when I took up this coaching role. The important thing is to work honestly in that dressing room. We need honesty everywhere if Indian cricket has to move ahead - in the commentary box and studio as well."

India's Test team went to England without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom have retired from red-ball cricket. They were also without the services of Ravichandran Ashwin, who had earlier retired from international cricket. Opening up on the transition phase in the Test team, Gambhir opined:

"You only compare oranges with oranges. You don't compare oranges with apples. Many people didn't see the transition in our Test team. But ultimately, I kept backing the players. I entire support staff kept backing the players. Hopefully, we'll keep getting the results in the future as well."

In Rohit and Kohli's absence, skipper Gill led from the front in England, amassing 754 runs in 10 innings, with four hundreds and a best of 269. With the ball, pacer Mohammed Siraj played all five Tests and ended up claiming 23 wickets.

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"Couldn't have asked for a better performance" - Gautam Gambhir on India's win over Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025

India came up with a clinical performance to get the better of Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup 2025 clash in Dubai on Sunday. Bowling first, they held Pakistan to 127-9 and then chased down the target in 15.5 overs. Reflecting on India's win, Gambhir admitted that it was a near-perfect effort. He asserted:

"You couldn't have asked for a better performance, especially the way the bowlers bowled. We managed to restrict the opposition to 128 [127]. All the spinners, Jasprit Bumrah, in fact all the bowlers [did really well]. You back your batting line-up to chase 128. The way we started was very important and that is what good teams do. They turn up and keep doing right things day in and day out."

Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed 3-18 against Pakistan, while Axar Patel and Bumrah picked up two each. In the chase, skipper Suryakumar Yadav led from the front with an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls.

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Edited by Renin Wilben Albert