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‘If Rahul Dravid could get trolled…’: Gambhir receives fierce support as backlash erupts over ‘baseless’ Eden criticism
Gautam Gambhir faced heat over India’s Eden collapse, but Robin Uthappa defended him, calling the criticism “baseless” and driven by impatience.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has been at the centre of criticism after the team's collapse at the Eden Gardens in the opening Test match against South Africa last week, from player selection to the management's preference for a turner in Kolkata. However, Gambhir finally found strong support from his former India teammate Robin Uthappa, who called the attack “baseless” and driven by impatience rather than understanding.
The opening game of the two-Test series ended inside three days, with India failing to chase down 124 in the final innings. The hosts, missing the injured Shubman Gill, were bundled out for just 93 as they suffered their fourth home defeat in six Tests under Gambhir. The defeat reignited debates around team selection and batting approach, with many questioning whether India are losing their home invincibility, and directing the criticism squarely at Gambhir.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Uthappa dismissed claims that the defeat was due to Gambhir’s decisions. He emphasised that once the players take to the field, the coach’s influence is minimal.
"I saw a comment yesterday suggesting that I was defending GG. Yaar, coach thodi jaake khel raha hai andar (The coach is not playing out there)," Uthappa said.
The former Kolkata Knight Riders star also cited how even the legendary Rahul Dravid once faced trolling despite his stature.
"When they criticised Rahul Dravid, it didn't make sense to me. Scoring 20-30 thousand international runs is not easy. So if he can be trolled, anyone can be trolled," he added.
Overall, India have lost nine of their 18 Test matches since Gambhir’s appointment as head coach. In the previous World Test Championship cycle, India endured a humbling 0–3 defeat at home to New Zealand, followed by a Border-Gavaskar series loss in Australia. Those back-to-back setbacks pushed India from being a strong contender for the final to getting eliminated.
While the team, now in transition, began the new WTC cycle on a brighter note under new captain Shubman Gill with a 2–2 draw in England, many still felt it was a missed opportunity against a depleted Ben Stokes-led side.
