Former selector Sunil Joshi came out in Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir‘s defence amid immense scrutiny over his role so far. India suffered a 0-3 clean-sweep against New Zealand in the recently concluded 3-match Test series.
Gautam Gambhir‘s coaching has received criticism as India suffered their very first 3-match Test series white-wash at home. However, Joshi felt that people shouldn’t question so quickly, within just five months into his tenure. Sunil Joshi pointed out that Gautam Gambhir’s acumen and commitment shouldn’t be judged.
Under-fire Gautam Gambhir has received some backing from ex-BCCI selection committee member Sunil Joshi after India’s embarrassing 0-3 whitewash of New Zealand. Gautam Gambhir has been receiving criticism after an underwhelming start to his coaching tenure with the Indian team.
Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as Indian coach since Rahul Dravid’s retirement.
Gautam Gambhir’s coaching tenure started off on a mixed note with a 0-2 ODI series loss against Sri Lanka, India’s very first against the island nation in last 27 years. The team enjoyed success in the shortest format of the game with the Suryakumar Yadav-led side clean-sweeping Sri Lanka and Bangladesh so far. After the high of India’s 2-0 whitewash against Bangladesh in Test series, the team hit a new low against the Kiwis.
Despite arriving at the Indian team with a massive reputation, Gautam Gambhir failed to live up to the expectations apart from the T20I matches. Right after he took over the reins, India lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka for the first time in 27 years, and then New Zealand completed a 3-0 whitewash of his side in Tests at home on Sunday, something the team never experienced in its long cricketing journey.
Many experts and fans alike questioned the captaincy and leadership for the loss with Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir coming under the scanner. Many of management’s decisions, like bowling changes, shuffling in the batting lineup, were questioned. The former Indian selector Sunil Joshi was hopeful that Gautam Gambhir and his coaching staff would come out stronger once they settled in. He said that questions should be raised after two years in order to get better clarity.
Former Indian selector Sunil Joshi defends head coach Gautam Gambhir after home Test series 3-0 whitewash to NZ
Former Indian selector Sunil Joshi defended head coach Gautam Gambhir by calling on fans and experts not to judge him after only a handful of games. Gautam Gambhir took over as Team India’s head coach at the end of July and has experienced a rough start to his tenure.
The side lost 0-2 in the ODI series in Sri Lanka, followed by the incomprehensible 0-3 home Test series whitewash in the recently concluded series against New Zealand. The result broke India’s almost 12-year unbeaten home streak in Tests and saw them suffering a whitewash for the first time in a home Test series since 2000. Yet, in an interview with TOI, Joshi feels Gautam Gambhir is being judged harshly way too early into his stint.
“Knowing Gautam Gambhir, he is a fighting cricketer and we know his commitment towards the game or towards the team. No coach will ever want to be on the wrong side of a result. We need to give him time. Let’s now judge by the two series we have seen, just five Test matches. Of course, on home soil, we have lost. I am sure he will also be disappointed with the way the Test matches have gone, but don’t judge his acumen or his commitment,” he said.
Joshi added:
“He is a fighter and he will come out successful. I know that. We have to give time to them (Gambhir and his coaching staff) to settle down. After two years, the results will be in front of us. Then we can judge.”
It hasn’t been only doom for India under Gautam Gambhir as the side also defeated Sri Lanka 3-0 in an away T20I series and crushed Bangladesh 2-0 in the home Test series before the New Zealand debacle.
Sunil Joshi shares his opinion on 2024-25 BGT
Sunil Joshi acknowledged that Team India would be under pressure as the visiting team in Australia but feels focusing on the process over the result would serve them better in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India will take on Australia down under in five much-anticipated Tests, starting in Perth on November 22.
“We won the last two series in Australia. That is something we need to factor, but do not underestimate Australia because we won the last two series. Winning is not impossible, it’s quite possible. We do have the bowling options and batsmen who can score runs. Take one Test match at a time and focus on the process part more than the results part,” said Joshi.
He concluded:
“The Australians know that India has lost a Test series 3-nil. The pressure is always more on the visiting team. So we need to be prepared to play absolute hard cricket.”
India won the last two Test series in Australia by 2-1 scorelines in 2018-19 and 2020-21, while also winning the last four Test series between the teams overall.
The series defeat to New Zealand has hurt India’s chances to qualify for the World Test Championship final for the third consecutive time. Unless there is a remarkable turnaround Down Under, Gambhir, who was given a free hand in selection matters, may not have as much say in issues concerning the team in the coming times. The five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy is the last hope for India to make it to the Lord’s, but for that, they have to beat Australia 4-0.