Former head coach Ravi Shastri was accused of defending Gautam Gambhir when he supplied his tackle India’s Take a look at decline after the Asian giants suffered a 0-2 defeat to visiting South Africa in November. Shastri had stated the gamers must also share the blame for India’s batting failures within the two-Take a look at collection, during which the world Take a look at champions comprehensively outplayed the house group.
Shastri swiftly refuted the anchor’s suggestion that he was defending Gambhir, insisting he would have taken full accountability for India’s poor performances had he nonetheless been in cost. The previous India captain, in his inimitable type, careworn that he would by no means throw his gamers underneath the bus, however would as an alternative have delivered some onerous truths within the dressing room.
India slumped to a 408-run defeat within the second Take a look at in Guwahati, falling brief in all three departments. On a pitch that was best for batting, the Indian line-up faltered once more, managing simply 140 and 201. The hammering got here per week after they had been outclassed on a spinning floor within the first Take a look at in Kolkata, the place they did not chase down 124 within the remaining innings.
Gautam Gambhir didn’t maintain again in his evaluation of the losses. After the Kolkata Take a look at, he criticized the batsmen, defending the pitch that many pundits deemed too excessive for Take a look at cricket. The match lasted solely two-and-a-half days, and Gambhir’s feedback drew sharp reactions. He stirred additional debate when he remained defiant following the 0-2 whitewash, giving little away when questioned about his future as India’s Take a look at coach.
“You inform me. What occurred in Guwahati? From 100/1, you slip to 130/7 – this group isn’t that dangerous both. The group isn’t that dangerous; they’ve sufficient expertise. Due to this fact, that is the place the accountability should even be taken by the gamers. You’ve performed spin since childhood,” Shastri informed Prabhat Khabar when requested about India’s Guwahati Take a look at defeat.
When the anchor requested if he was attempting to defend Gambhir, Shastri rapidly clarified: “I am not defending. 100 per cent. If this had occurred after I was the coach, I might have taken the primary accountability; I, the coach, would have taken it. However I might not have spared the gamers contained in the group assembly,” he stated.
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Gautam Gambhir has come underneath mounting stress after India’s 0-2 defeat to South Africa, marking their second dwelling collection whitewash in as a few years. Simply final yr, a visiting New Zealand aspect shocked the cricket world by beating India 3-0 in a Take a look at collection.
Each Gambhir and the Ajit Agarkar-led choice committee have been criticized for inconsistent backing of gamers and for prioritizing all-rounders over red-ball specialists. Gambhir has additionally been accused of making uncertainty inside the Take a look at set-up by failing to offer gamers with clear roles.
Whereas the batting failures of senior execs Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had been highlighted in the course of the 0-3 whitewash final yr, this time the highlight has shifted in direction of Gambhir, with critics arguing that the younger Take a look at aspect has not been given sufficient time or stability to settle underneath his management.
Regardless of the scrutiny, Gambhir has remained adamant that he won’t step down. No Indian coach has endured a section this lean — 5 defeats within the final seven dwelling Assessments — and survived, making his stance all of the extra notable.
Now right down to fifth place within the World Take a look at Championship standings, India are in severe hazard of lacking the ultimate for a second successive version. Their batting struggles, notably in opposition to spin, stay a significant concern. Forward lies a difficult schedule: two Assessments in Sri Lanka subsequent yr, adopted by two in New Zealand, earlier than internet hosting Australia in a marquee five-Take a look at collection in early 2027 — their final alternative to show issues round earlier than the following WTC remaining.
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