India's coach, Gautam Gambhir, faced intense scrutiny after the team suffered a series defeat to New Zealand, marking their first loss at home since 2012. Despite being heavily favored to win, India was thoroughly outplayed by New Zealand, leading to widespread criticism directed at Gambhir.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri came to Gambhir's defense following the team's defeat in the second Test. Shastri acknowledged the challenges of coaching a team with a large and passionate fan base, noting that Gambhir is still new to the role and will continue to grow and learn with experience.
"New Zealand have beaten them (India) handsomely in both the Test matches. It's food for thought," Stastri said on Jio Cinema.
"He (Gambhir) has just taken over the job. It's never easy being coach of a team that has such a big following. It's still early days in his career as a coach. But he'll soon learn," he added.
In the second Test, Gautam Gambhir made a strategic move that unfortunately went unrecognized due to India's defeat. Had India emerged victorious, Gambhir would have undoubtedly received accolades for his decision. It was Gambhir who advocated for Washington Sundar's inclusion in the India squad, a move that proved to be impactful as Sundar delivered an impressive performance, taking a 10-wicket haul in the match. However, despite Sundar's heroics, India's batters struggled against the Kiwi spinners, particularly Mitchell Santner, leading to a disappointing 113-run loss.
Looking ahead, Gambhir faces a challenging Australia tour that will play a crucial role in determining India's fate in the World Test Championship. India must win at least three Tests to have a chance of reaching the final. However, given their current form, many are skeptical about India's chances of winning the series in Australia. If the tour does not go India's way, Gambhir and Rohit Sharma are likely to face increased criticism.
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