Mohammad Kaif Pinpoints Key Difference Between Gautam Gambhir And VVS Laxman's Coach Styles
Calls have been raised to sack Gautam Gambhir as India's head coach ever since the side lost the two-match T20I series to Ireland, followed by a white-ball humiliation at the hands of England, including a 4-0 T20I series defeat.
- Mohammad Kaif seemingly took a jibe at India head coach Gautam Gambhir amid mounting criticism
- Calls have been made to sack Gambhir as India's head coach after recent series defeats in Ireland and England
- "What VVS Laxman did brilliantly in Zimbabwe was backing a traditional combination," said Kaif
Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif seemingly took a jibe at Gautam Gambhir amid mounting criticism of the Indian men's senior team head coach following series defeats to Ireland and England last month. Calls have been raised to sack Gambhir as India's head coach ever since the side lost the two-match T20I series to Ireland, followed by a white-ball humiliation at the hands of England, including a 4-0 T20I series defeat. In contrast, India, under the guidance of VVS Laxman, who is currently the head of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE), beat Zimbabwe rather comfortably in Gambhir's absence.
Comparing the coaching styles of Gambhir and Laxman, Kaif pointed out that the CoE chief used the traditional combination of seven batters and four bowlers, instead of relying on an extra all-rounder.
"What VVS Laxman did brilliantly in Zimbabwe was backing a traditional combination: seven proper batsmen and four proper bowlers. He didn't overly rely on finding an all-rounder for the number eight spot just for the sake of it. He backed his playing XI clearly. When a new coach comes in, winning the easy matches is expected, but the pressure builds during these tough overseas tours," said Kaif.
For context, Gambhir has been criticised more often than not for sacrificing a proper bowler to play an extra all-rounder at No. 8.
However, Kaif insisted that the poor results aren't just down to the coach but also the captain. Kaif said it will be interesting to see how Gill can get the best out of his players, especially given India's recent struggles in red-ball cricket.
"I want to focus less on the coaches and more on the captain. The coach will guide the team, but a captain's tenure can last 10-12 years. I want to see how Shubman Gill motivates his players and handles the team when the chips are down. He showed great leadership qualities by building and leading his IPL team, the Gujarat Titans. He is young, but he has the potential to be a long-term leader for India," he added.
India Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir