The Indian cricket team is not where it "wants to be" in terms of its preparations for next year's T20 World Cup yet but head coach Gautam Gambhir says there is enough time in hand to get there.

In an interview with 'bcci.tv', Gambhir said the players needed to take their fitness to the next level as India prepare to defend the title at home.

"It has been a very transparent dressing room, it has been a very honest dressing room and that is how we want this dressing room to be. I think we still aren't where we want to be come the T20 World Cup," he said.

"From the fitness point of view, I think we still aren't where we want to be come the T20 World Cup. And that is exactly the conversation that we've had with the boys as well. We want to be absolutely sharp. We want to be fit. We want to move quicker.

"The fitter we are, the more mentally strong we are. Because come the pressure games come the pressure situation, the more physically strong you are, the more mentally strong you are. We still have three months to be where we want to be," said the former India opener.

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February-March next year.

Bumrah bowling three overs in powerplay is a very aggressive move

Gambhir also spoke about the logic behind using trump card Jasprit Bumrah for three overs in the powerplay during the recent Asia Cup that India won.

"A lot of people relate to this T20 side as a very aggressive batting lineup. For me I think bowling Jassi 3 in the first six was an even more aggressive option with the ball. We don't want to be a side which is only known as an aggressive batting order, we want to be a side which should be known as an aggressive side overall," he said.

"We wanted to go that way as well (Bumrah bowling three in PP), we wanted to see how it pans out, we wanted to see where it takes us in future as well, and I thought that Asia Cup, it has really worked well for us, because bowling Jassi in the first three obviously makes us win the powerplay most of the time...

"...and then obviously we got two wicket-taking options in the middle with Varun (Chakravarthy) and Kuldeep (Yadav), so it gives them a lot of leverage to bowl with freedom in the middle phase, and we can take wickets all the time...I think it was a very aggressive move," said Gambhir.

We want to have 7 to 8 bowling options

In the Gambhir era, India have preferred to have batting till number eight. The head coach said it is also important the team has seven to eight bowling options and that is only possible by packing in all-rounders like Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar in the playing eleven.

"Look the more the merrier (all-rounders), that is something which is important, it is always better to have more options than less options, so many times in the past we have always thought about having a 6 bowling options, and this T20 side we have got 7 or 8 bowling options, which is always important.

"... for years and years we kept talking about, that how can we have guys who can give us couple of overs, be it in a T20 game or in a 50 over game, now we are trying to develop guys who can give us overs, and who can bat in the middle or in different phases as well, so I think it is always good to have those kind of options," said Gambhir.

The head coach is confident that the likes of Washington and Axar will excel in the T20 World Cup.

"...Not only in subcontinent conditions, the quality they have, I think they are going to flourish in most of the conditions as well, and that is why I feel that Washi bowling in the last 7 or 8 months, has been a huge success for Indian cricket... "...Axar batting at No. 5, again he has given a lot of responsibility to bat at No. 5 in the Champions trophy, he has done exceptionally well, bowled tough overs, bowled in the powerplay, bowled in the middle..." He reiterated his philosophy of handing out tough assignments to individuals to understand the depth of their character.

"Throw guys in the deep sea, as simple as it can get. We did the same with Shubman (Gill) as well when he was appointed as Test captain," he said.

Gill pulled off an inspired batting performance in his maiden Test series, against England, as captain. The Indian team under him drew the series 2-2 after every match stretched to the fifth day with fortunes oscillating wildly throughout.

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