Why is there pressure on Gautam Gambhir ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka?

Gautam Gambhir faces pressure due to India's poor performance, needing to win seven out of nine remaining matches to qualify for the World Test Championship final.

What did Amit Mishra say about the time needed for Gambhir to establish himself as a coach?

Amit Mishra emphasized that Gambhir, like Rahul Dravid before him, needs time to establish himself and highlighted that players must take responsibility for their performances.

How can India's cricket team improve its performances according to the experts?

Experts suggest that the team needs to trust its batters and select more specialist bowlers to enhance overall performance, focusing on collective success over individual accolades.

Gautam Gambhir lent support, players urged 'to take responsibility': 'Took 1 year for Dravid to establish himself'

Gautam Gambhir extended support. Former India spinner feels the head coach needs to be given some more time to get the desired results.

Updated on: Aug 13, 2026, 12:30:04 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach, is someone who fights fire with fire. But it's no surprise that the pressure is firmly on the former India opener ahead of the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka. India's backs are stacked against the wall, and the team must win seven out of their remaining nine matches to have a shot at qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Two whitewashes in home series against New Zealand and South Africa have put a target on his back, and the recent losses in white-ball series against England and Ireland haven't helped his case.

India's captain Shubman Gill, right, talks with head coach Gautam Gambhir . (AP Photo) (HT_PRINT)

However, Amit Mishra, the former Indian spinner, wants Gambhir to be given more time, saying that the coach cannot do everything and players need to take responsibility. He further added that India has some new players in the Test lineup, and hence, the need of the hour is to give Gambhir some more time.

Mishra also cited the example of Rahul Dravid, saying even the legendary batter took one year to establish himself as the head coach. It is worth mentioning that Gambhir took over as coach from Dravid in July 2024, following the Men's T20 World Cup win.

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"It's tough for the coach. I think players need to take more responsibility. One coach for all format has been the norm for years. You have to give time to any coach. In Test matches, we have new players with less experience. It takes time for coaches and players to develop," Amit Mishra told the Times of India.

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"It took 1-1.5 years for Rahul Dravid to establish himself. Then performance improved. Players need to take responsibility and understand the wicket's behaviour. You are selected from 140-145 crore people; you have to adapt according to the wicket and situation. That's why you're playing at the top. I don't think any blame should be given to the coach," he continued.

'Give time'

Mishra then said that the former India opening batter needs to be given time in Test cricket, as the coach can only offer guidance, and ultimately, the job of execution depends on the players.

"Give him (Gambhir) time in red-ball. He needs to explain to new players (in the squad). A coach's job is to work on mental aspects and skills, but players have to play. In our time, players did it. You have to take stress, understand. You have to spend time and adapt according to the situation, player, bowler, and wicket. Players need to take more responsibility. A coach's job is to guide, plan, but players have to execute."

Under Gambhir, India failed to reach the WTC final in the previous cycle and the same result is on the cards in the 2025-27 cycle as well unless India get the desired wins against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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