Indian pundit backs Root: “Imagine if Virat Kohli had gone to England and got these runs”

Gautam Gambhir occupies the same sort of role as Michael Vaughan in being something of an opinion for hire in India but unlike the former England captain, he more often than not does have something worth saying.

Stepping into the debate about the relative merits of the so-called Fab Four of Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Joe Root, he nailed his colours firmly to the mast of the latter two, which might cause some consternation from Delhi to Sydney.

“You have to realize one thing: that someone like Kane Williamson and Joe Root probably play in the toughest of conditions,” he said.

“England is not the easy place to play, with the Dukes ball and in English conditions. And, New Zealand equally is not that easy to play when the ball is swinging and seaming.

“You look at sub-continent conditions, you look at Australian conditions, they tend to go flat. But England never goes flat.”

In the interview with Cricinfo, Gambhir, now a politician in East Delhi, insisted: “You cannot compare Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to Joe Root or Kane Williamson because of the conditions. But then, look what he [Root] has done in the sub-continent.

“Imagine if Virat Kohli would have gone to England and New Zealand and got these kind of runs. It is unbelievable, especially on these turning tracks.

“He has 600 runs in three Test matches, that too in the subcontinent, where the ball starts spinning from day one. We should not forget what he has done in Sri Lanka.”

We haven’t Gautam, we haven’t.

Jingle by James Sherwood