India head coach Gautam Gambhir asserted that his team is yet to deliver a "perfect game" despite an unblemished run to the Champions Trophy final.
He remains hopeful that such a performance will come in the summit clash on Sunday.
India secured a four-wicket victory over Australia in the first semi-final on Tuesday, propelled by a composed 84 from senior batsman Virat Kohli.
Yet, Gambhir, known for his relentless pursuit of excellence, emphasised the need for continued improvement.
"See, in international sport, you want to keep improving. You don't say that you've ticked all the boxes. We still haven't played a perfect game. I will never be satisfied with the performances," Gambhir remarked at the post-match press conference.
He reiterated his belief that India could produce their best cricket in the final on 9 March.
"We still have one more game to go. Hopefully, we can play a perfect game. We want to keep improving, we want to be ruthless on the cricket field but absolutely humble off the field as well," he said.
Tactical decisions and adaptability
India have made unconventional strategic decisions in the tournament, including fielding four spinners and reshuffling the batting order by promoting Axar Patel to No. 5 and pushing KL Rahul down to No. 6.
While these choices may appear unorthodox, Gambhir stressed that they were part of a broader strategy to challenge players beyond their comfort zones.
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"I think cricket is all about being out of your comfort zone, and that is how you grow. If everyone is in their comfort zone, then there is stagnation.
So, I believe, and you've seen the results. I know you guys will keep going back to 3-1 in Australia.
"But everyone in the dressing room is staying out of the comfort zone, be it the coaching staff, be it the players, and hopefully, we continue to do what is important for Indian cricket," he added.
Future plans on hold until after the final
The head coach acknowledged that discussions regarding the future of senior players would be necessary but made it clear that his immediate focus remains on the final.
"I'm someone who tries to stay, as much as I can, in the present and at the moment, all I can say is that the entire focus is going to be on the game which is on the 9th.
"And then obviously there's a long-term vision, there's a long-term plan as well but at the moment, it's only the 9th. After the 9th, we can sit down and plan," he said.
Praise for calculated chase
Gambhir lauded the team's composed chase of a challenging 265-run target, highlighting the clinical execution of their plans.
"I think it was very professional and the reason why I say that is because we had wickets in hand and that was the plan because we know that obviously, pitches here in the second half can actually get a little slower.
"We actually planned the chase really well. If you see after 40 overs, we were only four down. We had two set batters in. So, we knew that the kind of quality we have, the kind of depth we had, we were always in control," he explained.
With their sights firmly set on the final, India will aim to cap off their dominant run with the elusive "perfect game" that Gambhir so desires.
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