Head coach Gautam Gambhir came under strict scrutiny after Team India lost Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 series to Australia of late. Team India's performance in the five-match Test series was underwhelming as they lost the series 1-3 despite winning the opening match in Perth. The series loss also cost India the coveted World Test Championship (WTC) final spot as Australia ended up making it to the summit clash where they will face South Africa at Lord's. India's back-to-back flop show saw both head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team in the centre of criticism.
Dinesh Karthik strongly defends Gautam Gambhir amidst criticism
Meanwhile, former India's star wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has come to Gautam Gambhir and said that one needs to cut him some slack because he has come in at a very tough time. To support his argument Karthik stated that post a successful regime of Rahul Dravid, it’s never easy to fill those shoes.
After taking up the role of head coach for Team India, Gambhir has lost three big series. India's recent string of defeats has been a cause for concern. After losing the ODI series against Sri Lanka for the first time in over two decades, Team India suffered a 0-3 whitewash in the Test series against New Zealand. On top of it India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last week, marking the first time in a decade that India has conceded the series.Since Gambhir assumed the role of head coach, reports of unrest within the dressing room have surfaced. Questions have also been raised about the nature of his relationship with Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
"I think, when it comes to Gautam Gambhir, you got to cut him some slack a little bit because I think he has come in at a very tough time. Post a successful regime of Rahul Dravid, it’s never easy to fill those shoes," Karthik said while speaking on Cricbuzz.
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While under Gambhir's coaching Team India have lost Test and ODI series, they are yet to lose T20I series. Notably Team India is gearing up for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England which is slated to start from January 22. Following the T20I outing, India will play a three-match ODI series against England which will serve as a perfect dress rehearsal for the all-important Champions Trophy which is scheduled to kick off from February 19.
“He has found success, an immense success in T20 cricket, where he’s had a lot of young boys. He’s been able to have, I would dare say, a massive influence over them. But in Tests, he has had the going very hard. Yes, the Bangladesh series was a success and I think post that, things have just gone downhill for him. He wants them (Kohli and Rohit) to decide as to what they feel is best. I think the biggest decision for him to make is, is he very, very happy with his current set of players," Karthik concluded.