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IPL owner vents frustration at Gautam Gambhir, calls for specialist red ball coach: ‘Time for India to move’
Delhi Capitals owner Parth Jindal became the latest to add his voice to those asking for Gautam Gambhir's resignation and replacement.
In Gautam Gambhir's tenure as Test Coach for the Indian Men's National Cricket Team, he has certainly left a lot to be desired. After guiding the team to their first home loss in 12 years against New Zealand in 2024, he suffered a second consecutive series defeat at home against SENA nations with a 2-0 hammering at the hands of South Africa.
A disappointing series in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy qas also sandwiched between these results, and has not given fans and pundits too much confidence regarding Gambhir's ability to coach and lead a Test Team. While Gambhir does have an excellent record in white ball cricket, the same has not translated for him into the longest format of the game.
An excellent captain and mentor in his days in the IPL for KKR, Gambhir's reputation as a white ball tactician has helped India to success in the ICC Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. However, with him looking increasingly out of his depth in the Test format, the calls for a new red ball coach have grown louder and louder.
One figure calling for a new red ball coach and a specialist one at that includes Delhi Capitals owner Parth Jindal. A figure highly invested in Indian sports at the forefront of JSW Sports, Jindal argued that the current set-up of the Indian team is not incapable of sustaining the Test success of the past, but would need specialist care and detail in order to reach those heights.
'Nowhere near reflective of the deep strength we possess…'
“Not even close, what a complete thrashing at home!” wrote Jindal on X in response to India’s 408-run loss to South Africa.
“Don’t remember seeing our test side being so weak at home!!! This is what happens when red ball specialists are not picked,” argued Jindal. “This team is nowhere near reflective of the deep strength we possess in the red ball format. Time for India to move to a specialist red-ball coach for Test cricket.”
Gambhir’s track record and efficiency in white ball cricket means the BCCI will not want to dispose of him any time soon in that format, but it remains the case that a steady and experienced hand is required to oversee India’s period of transition away from the era of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom retired earlier this year.
India don’t play more Test cricket until next August, but there will be decisions needing to be made in the meantime.
