Gautam Gambhir finds himself under mounting scrutiny ahead of the second Test against England, after India’s setback at Headingley extended their troubling run to seven defeats in 11 Tests since he assumed the coaching reins last year. The 43-year-old former opener is drawing criticism for his selection calls, player management, and an abrasive demeanour in press interactions.
India are navigating a transitional phase following the retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, with Gambhir being widely believed to have influenced. Under new captain Shubman Gill, India fell to a five-wicket defeat in the opening clash of the five-Test series, deepening unease among fans and pundits alike.
As the Edgbaston Test looms on Wednesday, patience back home is wearing thin. “Gautam Gambhir is under significant pressure. The situation is becoming increasingly tense,” former India batsman Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel. “He has managed two wins against Bangladesh and one against Australia, but we`ve lost three matches to New Zealand, three to Australia and now one to England. He has been losing and losing.”
Gambhir, instrumental in India’s 2011 ODI World Cup triumph as a player, took over from Rahul Dravid last July. Dravid concluded a largely fruitful tenure by clinching the T20 World Cup, whereas Gambhir’s early reign has already endured a bruising 3-0 home drubbing by New Zealand. It was India’s first such Test series loss on home soil in 12 years.
Team selection has further fuelled discontent. Alongside chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Gambhir faced backlash for overlooking Sarfaraz Khan, despite strong recent performances, in favour of Karun Nair.
Gambhir`s detractors say he is hot-headed and accuse him of acting too much on instinct. Speaking ahead of the series, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik said that “tactically, Gauti (Gambhir) is a very good coach. “Man management is the area that I am sure he would be looking at,” he told Sky Sports` cricket podcast. “But one thing about him is that he is looking out for his players, which is massive. What I feel at times is that the way he is aggressive as a captain, you can`t be as a coach.”
Doubts also linger over Gambhir’s temperament, with detractors labelling him hot-headed and impulsive. Post-Headingley, Gambhir looked ruffled and snapped in reply to a question about Rishabh Pant`s centuries in each innings. The visiting batsmen scored five centuries in the match but still lost.
Former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Gambhir should be kept away from the media, after the coach bit back at Ricky Ponting ahead of the tour to Australia last year. India went on to lose the series 3-1.
On the last day of the first England Test, when the hosts chased down 371, senior batsman KL Rahul and Gill`s deputy Pant were seen making the fielding changes, rather than the skipper. In the final overs it appeared pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah rejected Gill`s idea of bringing him back into the attack. Bumrah, who will only play two more Tests in the series to manage his workload, returned figures of 5-83 in England`s first innings of 465 but went wicketless second time around.
Meanwhile, concerns over Bumrah’s workload persist. AB de Villiers questioned whether resting India’s pace spearhead was a result of `mismanagement` or necessitated by injury. A lack of bowling support and repeated lower-order collapses compounded India’s woes in Leeds.
