Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman and former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player, has strongly defended Gautam Gambhir's coaching methods, lauding him as the "best ever coach" he has worked with. Gurbaz's comments come amidst criticism of Gambhir following India's recent Test series losses.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ILT20 in Dubai, Gurbaz emphasized Gambhir's success with KKR, particularly their IPL victory in 2024, and India's recent tournament wins. He highlighted the Champions Trophy victory in ODI format and the Asia Cup win in T20 format as examples of India's success under Gambhir's leadership. "India just won the Champions Trophy in ODI format, Asia Cup in T20 format. They have won a lot of series, so you can't blame them for one series," Gurbaz stated.
Gurbaz dismissed the criticism leveled against Gambhir, especially after India's 0-2 Test series loss to South Africa, which followed a 0-3 defeat against New Zealand. These losses marked an end to India's long-standing home dominance in Test cricket. "If 1.4 billion people are there in your country, you can say 2-3 million will be against him. The rest are with Gautam sir and with India team. It doesn't make sense to talk about them," the 24-year-old told PTI.
According to Gurbaz, Gambhir's biggest strength lies in creating a relaxed, pressure-free environment rooted in discipline, which allows the team to flourish. "I love the way he goes about his job. When you have a good environment, you will be always on the top. He made the environment very easy for us, nothing stressful, nothing strict... and that's why we won the tournament," he explained.
Gurbaz clarified that Gambhir isn't strict in the traditional sense but is disciplined and only becomes strict when discipline is compromised. "He is not strict but he is disciplined. He is strict only when something goes against discipline," Gurbaz added.
The Afghan keeper-batsman also urged empathy towards Indian cricketers during challenging times. "As a cricketer, I will never blame players because everyone works hard and tries their best. They lost, so what? They are human. Sometimes you lose -- it's part of life," he said.
Gurbaz described his three years with KKR as "very exciting" and highlighted the significance of winning the IPL championship in 2024. He also mentioned his contribution to Gujarat Titans' victorious 2022 campaign.
Despite the criticism Gambhir has faced, there are reports suggesting that the BCCI is keen on retaining him as head coach until 2027, when his contract expires. This indicates a strong backing from the board despite recent setbacks.
