Legendary India cricketer Kapil Dev believes that Gautam Gambhir is better suited to be called a "team manager" rather than the head coach. These comments come after Gambhir had faced a lot of scrutiny over Team India's results in Test cricket. The 0-2 series whitewash to South Africa at home led to a lot of criticism around him as many questioned his coaching methods.
Kapil argued that the meaning of coach has evolved when it comes to modern-day cricket. He further questioned how Gambhir can be a coach to every player in the team when many of them play a type of role that he never played in his career.
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“Today that word called a coach… ‘coach’ is a very common word today. Gautam Gambhir can’t be a coach. He can be a manager of the team. When you say coach, coach is where I learn in the school and college. Those were the people, my coach there. They can manage me," Kapil said, speaking at the Indian Chamber of Commerce ICC Centenary Session.
“How can you be a coach when they have given a name to let’s say anybody a leg spinner? How can Gautam can be a coach to a leg spinner or to the wicket-keeper?" he asked
Kapil on why Gambhir is better suited to be team manager
Kapil also highlighted why Gambhir is better suited to be a team manager and remarked that a manager's responsibility is to give encouragement to the players and to become a figure that they look up to. He further said that a manager is also responsible for giving comfort to the team when they need it the most.
“I think you have to manage. That’s more important. As a manager, you give them encouragement to say you can do it because when you become a manager, the young boys look up to you. How can my manager or captain can give me that comfort and that’s what the manager and captain’s job is — to give comfort to the team and always say ‘you can do better’. That’s the way I look at it," Kapil stated.
Team India under Gambhir
Meanwhile, Gambhir's record as India's head coach hasn't been great when it comes to Tests, however the team has pulled off positive results under his guidance in white-ball cricket. After tasting defeat to South Africa in Tests, the Men in Blue not only won the ODI series, but are also on the verge of sealing the T20I series heading into the fifth and final match that will take place on December 19 in Ahmedabad.