Hosts India might have won the opening ODI of the three-match series against South Africa in Ranchi, but head coach Gautam Gambhir continues to cope with criticism for the recent whitewash against the Proteas in the two-match Test series. Under Gambhir, India have suffered two home series losses against New Zealand and South Africa, and hence the fans have been directing their ire at the former India opening batter.
After the astounding 408-run loss in Guwahati, the fans turned on Gambhir in the most brutal manner, breaking out into the chants of ‘Gambhir Aye Haye’. The situation deteriorated to the point where batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and pacer Mohammed Siraj had to intervene to control the fans. If the recent Test results were not enough, Gambhir’s relationship with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma is also a hot debating point, and fans continue to speculate about the future of the two in the ODI format.
Amid the growing chatter, former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who has shared the dressing room with Gambhir in the 2011 World Cup, advised the current head coach to develop a thick skin and hear the brickbats with an open mind.
“Emotions run high. You are expected to win pretty much every game. You are expected to win because you’ve been doing that consistently. You have the strength on your side to achieve those kinds of milestones and secure those kinds of victories. So, accountability and appraisal are always going to be there. So, it goes hand in hand,” said Zaheer on Cricbuzz.
“It’s just that the job demands you to be that way. The scrutiny with the game is always going to be there, with your role is always going to be there. So, I think, you know, it’s something which you got to be. You got to be able to balance it. You’ve got to be thick-skinned to be able to deal with all these kinds of criticism. But again, I said, it’s coming with the kind of expectation, the kind of passion which everyone has. And the kind of ability which you have as a team,” he added.
Under Gambhir, India also lost the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka last year, and this was followed by the shocking whitewash at the hands of New Zealand. Under Gambhir, India have lost five out of their last seven Tests.
‘Fans understand transparency’
Zaheer also advised Gambhir to be more transparent in terms of communicating his plans for the team and how he intends to take the side forward. The former Indian pacer said that fans will always understand if someone from the current setup explains the thought process and rationale.
It is worth mentioning that Gambhir is under fire for experimenting with too many all-rounders in the Test playing XI and overlooking specialists. He is also facing flak for having a rank turner in the Kolkata Test against South Africa despite losing 0-3 on similar pitches against New Zealand just last year.
“The disappointment always comes because you know that you can do better. And the frustration comes with those kinds of emotions. It’s just that kind of phase. So, you need to have that communication also from the team management that, okay, you know, rather than getting the emotions get the better of you, you have to be able to have a very open dialogue because the fans are understanding as well. You know, they understand that they’re going to be there even though you’re frustrated,” said Zaheer.
“As long as you’re following a process which is leading to what you want to achieve. And having those kinds of results. You know, it becomes result-oriented. So, I think, the communication in terms of the thought process, which is being implied at this stage, if the team is more vocal about it, more transparent about it, I think the fans will also understand where they’re coming from. It’s important not to get carried away,” he added.
