Sunil Gavaskar has strongly defended India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, amidst growing criticism following the team's 2-0 Test series defeat against South Africa. The series loss has sparked outrage among fans and cricket analysts, leading to questions about Gambhir's coaching methods and future with the team.
Gavaskar, however, has urged critics to consider the team's successes under Gambhir's leadership, specifically mentioning the Asia Cup and Champions Trophy victories in 2025. He argued that it is unfair to solely focus on the recent losses while ignoring the achievements. "If you didn't give Gambhir credit for the 2025 Champions Trophy win or the 2025 Asia Cup triumph, why blame him now? You can't ignore the wins and only react to the losses," Gavaskar stated in an interview with India Today.
Gavaskar emphasized that the coach's role is to prepare the team, but ultimately, the players are responsible for their performance on the field. "He's a coach. The coach can prepare a team. But it's out there in the middle that the players have to deliver," Gavaskar said. He questioned why Gambhir was not given adequate appreciation for the wins and why he is now being held solely accountable for the Test series defeat. "What did you do when India won the Champions Trophy under him? What did you do when India won the Asia Cup under him?" Gavaskar asked, highlighting the selective nature of the criticism.
The Test series loss to South Africa marked the third series defeat in Test cricket under Gambhir's tenure. India suffered a 3-0 defeat against New Zealand the previous year, which Gavaskar considered a lower point for India in Test cricket. The recent 408-run defeat in Guwahati was India's biggest loss at home in terms of runs. This also marked the first time India has lost five Tests at home within a span of seven games.
Despite the criticism, Gavaskar does not believe that India needs separate coaches for different formats, citing Brendon McCullum as an example of a coach who successfully manages all three formats for England. He suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should conduct a thorough review of India's recent struggles in Test cricket, involving former coaches and players like Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, and Sourav Ganguly. "You need to do a thorough post-mortem as to areas that you need to strengthen at the Test level," Gavaskar advised. He believes that their recent experience in the game would provide valuable insights and help formulate a plan for the next five years.
Echoing Gavaskar's sentiment, R Ashwin also defended Gambhir, cautioning against the urge to "find someone to blame" after significant losses. Ashwin stressed that players must take responsibility for their performances, and individual attacks on the coach are unwarranted. He acknowledged the complexities of managing a team and the inevitability of mistakes.
Following the series defeat, Gambhir stated that his future as head coach is up to the BCCI to decide. He highlighted his achievements in white-ball cricket and emphasized the need for tough characters with limited skills in Test cricket.
