India's World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev feels Men in Blue's current head coach Gautam Gambhir is a bit temperamental but he has his own way of coaching. Gambhir drew a lot of flak and criticism following Team India's fiasco in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy following which his coaching methods and player selection decisions have come under intense scrutiny.
Gautam Gambhir faces scrutiny after India's BGT fiasco
However, Gambhir has received support from legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev. Kapil believes that the primary responsibility for the team's on-field performance lies with the captain and the players themselves, minimising the coach's direct impact.
Moreover, Kapil Dev compared Gambhir's coaching style to that of his predecessors, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid. He said that each coach brings their unique approach and attempts to implement their own strategies during their tenure. India's legendary all-rounder also said that a new coach will come out with his own ideas and hope it will serve the country in a better sense
“The expectations are high. The coaches are not on the field, but the captain and the team are on the ground. A new coach will come out with his own ideas and hope it will serve the country in a better sense. If he’s not, then people will raise their finger," Kapil told Gulf News.
The Indian cricket team's recent performance in the Test series against Australia was highly disappointing. The batting unit struggled significantly against the formidable Australian bowling attack, while the bowling department, with the exception of Jasprit Bumrah, appeared inexperienced.
Gautam Gambhir is different from Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid
Kapil Dev further elaborated on Gambhir's coaching style, comparing it to the approaches of previous Indian coaches, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid.
“(Gautam) Gambhir is a slightly temperamental person. He’s different from Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid. Every coach has his own way of thinking, so let’s hope he will do better for the country,” Kapil added.
Talking about Ravi Shastri's stint as India's head coach, he guided team to notable heights during his tenure. The highlight of his time as India's head coach was team's two consecutive Test series victories in Australia, which was a massive feat for any visiting team.
In contrast, Rahul Dravid, brought a structured and process-oriented team management style with him during his time as India's head coach. Under his coaching, India lifted the T20 World Cup 2024 title ending a 11-year-long ICC trophy drought. India also made it to WTC final twice in Dravid's stint and were runners-up in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Meanwhile, Gambhir's tenure as head coach has seen much despite a short stint. Team India suffered an ODI series defeat against Sri Lanka, ending their 27-year-long dominance. It didn't end there as India stumbled to a 0-3 Test series defeat at home against New Zealand, ending a 12-year unbeaten streak at home in Test cricket. And the most recent was India's series defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia which they lost 1-3.