‘Coach can only guide’ – Gautam Gambhir defended as India on verge of another home Test whitewash

Last year, India lost 0-3 to New Zealand and could lose 0-2 to South Africa if the visitors take the remaining 8 wickets in Guwahati tomorrow.

Team India is not just on the verge of losing five of their last seven Test matches at home, but also getting whitewashed at home for the second time in 12 months. For a common observer, all of this started happening after Gautam Gambhir took over as India’s head coach in July 2024.

Since then, four captains have changed. Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant. All have led, yet the tactics have remained the same. Gambhir has been the constant. Results are for everyone to see. A team that didn’t lose a series from 2013 to 2023 at home could lose two in the space of a year.

Raina defends coach Gambhir

Who should we blame for India’s struggles against South Africa? Suresh Raina thinks the burden of defeat doesn’t fall upon Gambhir. The former Indian cricketer thinks the players have fallen short. Gambhir’s already won an ICC title, and his credentials can’t be questioned. He’s been guiding Team India, but the players have underperformed and deserve the blame.

“Gauti bhaiya has worked really hard, and he is not at all at fault. The players have to work really hard and play well. Under him, we have been doing great in the white-ball format, where we just won the ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup in Dubai earlier this year. The players have to score; the coach can only guide, advise, and give support to the players,” Raina told the PTI.

Questions lack of preparation

The 2011 ODI World Cup winner also questioned India’s preparations for the South Africa Test series. Mind you, India was touring Australia, and just six days after that white-ball series ended, India had to return home to play red-ball cricket with little to no practice.

“Also, the planning of the series can be better because you have to quickly switch formats from white ball, and suddenly you are playing red-ball cricket again, so the players, I believe, have less time in hand,” he said.