Not a young team, a gun team: Karun Nair on Gautam Gambhir's dressing room mantra
"Right at the very beginning, Gauti [Gautam Gambhir] bhai said, he doesn't want us to look at it as a team in transition," said Nair. "He didn't want us to feel that way. The first message we got was 'this isn't a young team, this is a gun team and everyone must feel it from within.'" "The messaging within the group was that everyone plays for the team and supports each other. It's one thing for the coach or the captain to say it, but to feel it was amazing."When Team India got galvanised in EnglandNair also said that the late fightback by the Indian lower order during the Lord's Test was the one that galvanised the team. The batter said that despite India suffering defeat in the match, everyone was inspired seeing the fight back from the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj and Nitish Kumar Reddy. "From that position, where we had lost so many wickets, to see the fight Nitish [Kumar Reddy] and [Mohammed] Siraj put with Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] was inspiring," he says. "That never-give-up attitude was on display. There was disappointment at losing the Test but everyone was inspired," said Nair. The 33-year-old also said that Rishabh Pant's brave act to bat with a broken toe in Manchester exemplified the team's philosophy. "Then to see Rishabh walk out to bat with a broken toe - it was one of the moments of the series. It was astonishing for everyone to see. It told you what a great player he is, and more importantly, the person he is. That kind of exemplified the philosophy of the team. Of putting everything first for the team, it's not about individuals," said Nair. After the Lord's Test heartbreak, India were able to draw the match in Manchester before levelling the series at the Oval with a famous win. - Ends
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