BCCI Asked To Name New Coach For T20Is, Ex Star Wants Gautam Gambhir Relieved

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to look at the possibility of having different coaches for Test and limited overs cricket. Currently, Gautam Gambhir is the all-format head coach of the team, having replaced Rahul Dravid at the helm last year. Harbhajan feels that having different coaches will allow both individuals to prepare for an assignment in a better way. He also suggested that having a single coach can lead to mental and physical fatigue since the individual is constantly travelling with the team.

"Because your coach also needs time to prepare for a series. Like five Tests against Australia, then in England, then elsewhere. So the coach can prepare and set out what his team should be. The same goes for a white-ball coach. He will need time to prepare as well. If you overwork one coach for the whole year, he, too has a family and responsibilities. Traveling constantly with family isn't easy. So yes, if you ask me, splitting red-ball and white-ball coaching is a good move," Harbhajan told India Today.

Harbhajan also suggested that if India can have different teams for different formats, they should also explore the idea of a coach each for Test cricket and limited-overs format.

"I feel if it can be implemented, there is nothing wrong in it. You have different teams and different players for formats. If we can do it, it's a good option. It will reduce workload for everyone, including the coaches. So if it can happen, it isn't a bad option. The coach knows that focus is on T20 cricket," he added.

Harbhajan said that someone like Ashish Nehra could be looked upon as a potential candidate to coach the T20I team.

"Say if Ashish Nehra is the T20 coach, then he knows that his job is to make the Indian team champions in the T20 format, and Rahul Dravid knows he has to work on how the Indian team can be No.1 in Tests and ODIs," said Harbhajan.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Gautam Gambhir Harbhajan Singh Ashish Nehra Cricket