'Many People Can't Digest Truth': Harbhajan Singh Gives Blunt Verdict On Gautam Gambhir

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh is perplexed by the constant criticism Gautam Gambhir has drawn since taking over as the national head coach but acknowledges that not everyone will find his former teammate's style of "telling the bitter truths" palatable. In a podcast interview with PTI at its headquarters, Harbhajan said the Gambhir he knew is a passionate man, who wears his heart on his sleeve, and that can be unsettling for some. Under Gambhir's tutelage, India won the T20 World Cup, the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup but the Test team suffered crushing defeats against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the last two being whitewashes on home turf. Consequently, his handling of the squad, especially the Test team, has often drawn sharp commentary from fans and experts alike.

"Why is Gautam getting so much flak? I have never understood why when a team doesn't do well, people always tend to blame the coach. The Gautam that I have known, was a very passionate player of his time, one who always put the team first," Harbhajan said when asked to decode the man behind the combative public persona.

Harbhajan recalled that Gambhir was an introvert when he first joined the team and only created a close group of friends after settling into the dressing room.

"When he (Gambhir) first came into the team as a youngster, he would only interact with a select few players and would hang out with them. In those days, his friends used to be Viru (Virender Sehwag), Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel. I don't know if he is still friends with them, I guess they still are," he said.

"Bohot Badhiya Banda hai woh (Gautam is a top guy). He is very straightforward. For many people, Gautam might say bitter things but what he speaks is the bitter truth. Now, many people can't digest the truth, and perhaps the tone of his comments makes people feel that he is a slightly difficult person," Harbhajan tried to make a case for Gambhir's demeanour.

But Harbhajan said judging Gambhir based on perceptions would be unfair.

"Don't judge a book by its cover. He is a brilliant guy. He has got a good sense of how the game should be played. I know one thing for sure. Now that he is the coach, he will want his team to imbibe just one philosophy and that is 'Play To Win'," he said.

"He is someone who will not mind a defeat if the intent is to win a match. If a team goes for a draw, probably he won't take it."

Shubman ideal captain

Harbhajan was also very optimistic about the future of India's new Test and ODI skipper Shubman Gill, describing him as the ideal man to lead the country.

The statistics so far, however, state otherwise. Under Gill, India has lost ODI series to Australia, New Zealand and England but Harbhajan believes he will eventually get his share of success.

"Success doesn't come overnight. We have seen how he stamped his credentials on captaincy in England last year (India drew series 2-2). That was a testament to his abilities as a leader and a batter," he said.

"He scored more runs than anybody. I rate him highly. The team looked committed. There will be ups and downs but he is a top cricketer and has a great cricket brain. Moreover, he is a fantastic human being and that does matter a lot," he said.

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