Gautam Gambhir signed a contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to become Team India’s head coach. His contract is expected to run until 2027, but former Indian cricketer Joginder Sharma doesn’t think he’ll last that long:
“Gautam Gambhir is currently managing the team, but I believe he will not stay with the squad for a long time,” Sharma said.
“Gautam Gambhir has a habit of taking decisions. It is likely to lead to a disagreement with a player. I am not taking about Virat Kohli. Gambhir’s decisions are not liked by others.”
Joginder added.
“This is because Gautam Gambhir has his own decisions. It might happen that he has a disagreement with a player. I am not talking about Virat Kohli. Many times, Gautam Gambhir’s decisions are such that others do not like them” the former Team India cricketer concluded.
Former Cricketers Indirectly Disagree with Joginder Sharma’s Stance
Comments from ex-cricketers are in direct contrast to Joginder Sharma’s recent opinion. Let’s see what former cricketers and coaches have to say about Gambhir’s appointment:
Ravi Shastri (former Team India head coach)
“He [Gambhir] is contemporary; he just had a great season in the IPL, …I think he’s the right age where he’s young, he’ll come with fresh ideas. He knows most of the players, especially in the white-ball format, having been part of teams in the IPL. So, I think it’s refreshing.”
“And we know with Gautam, he’s a no-nonsense guy. He’ll have his ideas as well. And the good thing for him is he’s got a mature team. He’s got a settled team, a mature team. I think even though you might think you’re mature, you might benefit from some fresh ideas. So I think it’ll be interesting times,”
Sandeep Patil (ex-cricketer)
Former cricketer and current Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) chair Sandeep Patil made positive comments after Gambhir’s appointment:
“I don’t think his job is to coach the Indian team. His job is to help the Indian team, that’s how it works at the top level. You need player management. That will be the challenge for Gambhir. Gambhir had done an exceptional job as a coach for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL. I hope that he continues to help the Indian team in the same way,” Patil said.
Russel Arnold (ex-cricketer)
Former Sri Lanka cricketer Russel Arnold believes adjustments will be needed from players to adjust to Gambhir’s tactics:
“There’ll be a bit of adjustment for people to come to terms with Gautam Gambhir, but I think the change is also good because then you become too familiar with one system and hence they’ll be shaken up, maybe even woken up that you still need to get better and you still need to perform a lot more.” Arnold said.
BCCI Didn’t Consult Virat Kohli Before Gautam Gambhir Appointment
Reports suggest that veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli had no official information before Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as head coach.
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir rarely see eye-to-eye on several issues. Many fans expressed shock when the BCCI appointed Gautam Gambhir knowing his frosty relationship with Kohli. Gambhir and Kohli engaged in a public altercation during IPL 2023, and fans believe that could be a problem.
It is worth noting that Rahul Dravid had a strong relationship with senior team players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Some analysts believe that Gambhir could struggle with senior cricketers based on their history.
Does Gautam Gambhir Deserve Much Criticism So Early into His Team India Role?
Absolutely! Gautam Gambhir was one of the most vocal critics of Rahul Dravid’s (former head coach) time at the helm. Gambhir was quite audible while targeting Dravid and picking holes in the former coach’s tactics. Check out some of his comments against the former Team India head coach in recent months:
Gambhir criticizes Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma vs Pakistan (Aug. 2022)
“It was a shocking decision … [Rishabh Pant exclusion from India playing XI at Asia Cup 2022]. I know [Dinesh] Karthik had an excellent IPL, but Rishabh is ahead of him and deserves to play against Pakistan. The southpaw has shown his talent recently with match-winning scores coming from his bat in white-ball cricket,” Gambhir said.
Gambhir faults Dravid’s approach in T20s (Sep. 2022)
“There is no template in cricket. You play according to the situation and demand. If a wicket falls with no run on the board, are we going to expect a six from a number 3 batter? I have been hearing about attacking cricket and England’s kind of cricket. That’s nonsense. Cricket is about the flow. If a team is 60 in 6 overs, then a batter can go after the bowlers,” Gambhir said.
Gambhir has been outspoken about squad selection and other nuances in India’s senior cricket team. He should be more than ready to receive what he dished out to Dravid and co. before now.
