Gautam Gambhir might be one of the most scrutinised individuals in India. Whether or not it’s fair is a discussion we’ll have another day. But Gambhir knew this was part of the job when he applied to become India’s head coach. He was always a polarising figure. People either loved him or loved to hate him. Since he took over in July 2024, it has only been amplified.
For all his success—winning 2 ICC trophies in less than 2 years—he’s faced even more criticism. People comment on how he speaks to the media, the two Test whitewashes, or allege he retired Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket. Something just irks people about him. They can’t sweep his failures under the rug, even though the success outweighs them.
It turns out that it isn’t just random individuals online who dislike him. Munaf Patel, a former teammate of Gambhir, has alleged that even selectors don’t like the Indian head coach. Commentators are hoping for him to fail. That Gambhir has many enemies. But he doesn’t let the noise affect him; he keeps his head down and does what he deems necessary.
Team India needs Gautam Gambhir
While speaking with The Times of India Sports’ Bombay Sport Exchange podcast, Munaf praised Gambhir for his ‘old school’ approach. In an evolving cricket world where cricketers no longer want an authoritarian, the former fast bowler believes Gambhir manages to be a strict coach. He doesn’t care about the names like Rohit or Kohli and only cares about the game.
“Just remember this, if a head coach like Gautam Gambhir is removed, then handling the players will become very difficult. He is a genuine person; he calls the truth as it is, and many people don’t like that. Gambhir is the only one who’s handling the players today. Other than him, the players won’t be handled by other coaches. Because he’s still feared — because he loves cricket, not money,” Munaf said.
Constantly fighting enemies
The current Delhi Capitals bowling coach believes that Gambhir’s departure could even cause Indian cricket to go into freefall. He’s taken control over the team, something only captains did in the past, but now he calls the shots. He isn’t a friend to players, because he won’t be able to drop big players if that were the case. Munaf further added that his straightforward approach has earned him many enemies, many of whom are inside the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“If Gambhir leaves after 3 years, then you will see things become more scattered. Because he can keep control. Absolutely—he has a complete controlling system. And everyone knows that if anything goes wrong, he has the guts to drop players. The coach should have control. He can’t be a friend. If he is, then you are spoiling the system. There should be fear. Think about it—how many enemies Gautam Gambhir is making while doing this job. In the commentary panel, 8 out of 10 people are against him. 4 out of 5 selectors will be against him. But still, he does his work,” he added.
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