Under Gautam Gambhir’s coaching, the Indian team has been performing well in T20 and ODI cricket, but its performance in Test cricket has been poor. Recently, the Indian team suffered a crushing 0-2 defeat in the home Test series against South Africa. Last year, India also lost a three-match Test series against New Zealand 0-3.
Who suggested Gautam Gambhir to become a Ranji Trophy team?
Gautam Gambhir has come under criticism due to the Indian team’s poor performance in Test cricket . Former England cricketer Monty Panesar has made a significant statement regarding Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir. Panesar believes that if Gambhir wants to become a better coach in red-ball cricket, he should gain experience by coaching the Ranji team.
Monty Panesar’s comments come at a time when media reports claimed that the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) had approached VVL Laxman to replace Gambhir as the red-ball coach, although Board Secretary Devjit Saikia had completely rejected these reports.
Monty Panesar said that it will take time to stabilize the team after the retirements of veterans like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. He also recalled that India recently suffered a 0-2 home Test series defeat against South Africa, marking only the second series defeat in India under Gambhir’s coaching.
Monty Panesar said, “Gautam Gambhir is a good coach in white-ball cricket and has been successful there. However, he could benefit from becoming a Ranji Trophy coach. He should talk to coaches who have coached in the Ranji Trophy. Currently, the Indian team is weak in Test cricket, and this is a fact. It’s not easy to keep the remaining players ready after the retirement of three prominent players.”
Monty Panesar also questioned Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill . He described Gill as a complacent player, saying he lacks the aggression and intensity of Virat Kohli. Panesar said that while Shubman Gill has talent, he often plays lazy shots.