Gautam Gambhir blasts IPL team owner, media in rant over coaching role criticism
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Gautam Gambhir blasts IPL team owner, media in rant over coaching role criticism")
Gautam Gambhir blasts IPL team owner, media in rant over coaching role criticism Photograph: (AFP)
For the first time in India's Test history, they have been whitewashed twice at home, both under Gautam's tenure, recently against South Africa.
Team India won the third and the deciding ODI against South Africa in Vizag on Saturday (Dec 6) by nine wickets, completing a series win. Although the star-studded top three, and underfire Prasidh Krishna, who picked up four wickets, must be credited for the win, head coach Gautam Gambhir also deserves some, amid criticism over his coaching role. Silently sulking at all shots aimed at him till now, Gambhir reverted, ranting at the media and an unnamed IPL team owner for trying to put him down following the team's horrid Test results earlier.
India’s white-ball cricket prospered significantly under Gambhir’s leadership, winning two multi-team events, including the ICC Champions Trophy; however, the Test results haven’t been in either’s favour. For the first time in India's Test history, they have been whitewashed twice at home, both under Gautam's tenure, recently against South Africa.
Following the shocking series loss, Gambhir’s position came under scrutiny, with everyone, including the media and top people in the cricket circuit, beginning to question his role and responsibility for such results. Although he answered all with an ODI series win against the Proteas, Gautam took a jibe at an IPL owner, whom he didn’t name, asking him to stay in his domain.
The concerned person here could be Delhi Capitals’ co-owner Parth Jindal, who suggested a red-ball specialist to replace Gambhir as the Test coach following the series loss against South Africa, who wrote on his X handle, “Not even close, what a complete thrashing at home! Don’t remember seeing our test side being so weak at home!!! This is what happens when red ball specialists are not picked. 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 @BCCI.”
“There were a few things said by people who didn’t have any connection to cricket. One IPL owner also wrote about split coaching. This is very surprising. It’s important for people to stay in their domain. We don’t go into their domain. So, they have no right to interfere in what we do," Gambhir replied to his critics.
Gambhir attacks media
Not only an IPL team owner but Gambhir also took a scathing attack on the media, saying none of the media houses pointed out how the Indian Team was without their Test captain and batting mainstay (Shubman Gill), who got injured during the Kolkata Test and missed out on all cricket that followed.
“A lot has been said, no doubt. Yes, results haven’t gone our way. But, the most shocking part about all this is not one media house, not one journalist mentioned that the first Test we played, we were without our captain, who didn’t bat in both innings. The difference was 30 runs. I don’t come and give excuses in the press conference, that doesn’t mean that you all won’t bring out the facts to the world.
“When you are going through transition, and when you lose your captain, who is also an in-form batter, who has scored around 1000 runs in the last six Test matches. When you are facing a quality opposition, and you lose your captain midway through a Test, it becomes difficult. The most surprising part was no one discussed this. All that was discussed was about the pitch, I don’t know what else people said,” Gambhir said.
Team India's next assignment is the five-match T20I series against South Africa starting Tuesday (Dec 9) in Cuttack.
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