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Team India won their first ICC trophy under head coach Gautam Gambhir. The former Indian opener was criticised for his approach after the historic ODI series defeat on Sri Lankan soil. However, after India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 triumph with a four-wicket win against New Zealand in Dubai on March 9, Gambhir revealed that the idea of having six bowlers or simply extra bowling options has always been on his mind. Gambhir said that in modern-day ODI cricket and the two new-ball rule in place alongside fielding restrictions, there is a need for six bowlers in the side and that's why Riyan Parag was in the squad that toured Sri Lanka.
"See (6 bowlers) it had started from the ODI series against Sri Lanka. When we lost the ODI series. At that time Riyan Parag was playing the role of the sixth bowler in our team. Whereas before that we had only five bowlers. Five inside fielders and two new balls. If you go to the field with five bowlers, there will be a lot of pressure on the bowling," Gambhir told the broadcaster Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Gambhir said that bowlers help win tournaments and he was ready to take the risk even if it was at the cost of a batter.
"My plan was simple that I needed six bowlers from the first day. Even if a batsman has to be sacrificed for this, there is no problem. Because batsmen set the match and bowlers make you win the tournament," he added.
Parag's bowling in Sri Lanka
23-year-old Parag played the third and final ODI of the series against Sri Lanka. He bowled nine overs, conceded 54 runs and claimed three wickets including opener Avishka Fernando, captain Charith Asalanka and Dunith Wellalage.
However, Parag suffered a shoulder injury in the T20I series at home against Bangladesh and was ruled out of action for a few months. He was not picked in India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad despite proving his fitness in domestic cricket. Spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar made it to the squad as the right-arm off-spinner who can bat down the order.
