Mumbai: India's captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir, assistant coach Abhishek Nayar and Rishabh Pant during a practice session ahead of their third Test cricket match against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has came in strong defence of under-fire Team India coach Gautam Gambhir.
In Gambhir’s era, India have lost 0-3 at home against New Zealand, a first Test series loss in twelve years and 1-3 against Australia, losing the Border Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
In the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Test series, The Indian Express has reported the rift inside the dressing room. Shortly after India lost seven wickets in 20.4 overs and handed the Melbourne Test to Australia, head coach Gautam Gambhir had some stern words for the entire squad in the dressing room.
There are speculations that the senior cricketers are not having with Gambhir’s style of working. Gambhir’s coaching style has been compared to Greg Chappell, who had a famous fall out with the then senior Indian cricketers during his coaching tenure.
Indian coach Gautam Gambhir. (FILEphoto)
“I disagree with you that his style is similar to Greg Chappell’s,” Robin Uthappa said on Lallantop.
“I don’t agree with it at all. I have not met a more straightforward person than Gauti.
“He is very direct. You may not like what he says, but he will tell it you on your face, you can be sure of that and I love people like that.
“According to me, these people have a good life. They say whatever they are thinking, and that is enough. You get what you see, that is better than being a different person behind someone’s back.
“I prefer someone being straightforward with me, and Gauti is very, very straight.”
Uthappa also explained why Gautam Gambhir is doing well in the T20Is because he has complete control and he is helping Suryakumar Yadav evolve as a leader.
“He likes to run the ship and right now after the World Cup and him joining the team, he is joining a side of two different teams, infact three different leaders now. You have SKY, Rohit and then the ODI side is Hardik right? It is still Rohit, sorry.
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, center, reacts as he leaves the field with teammates after their loss in the second T20 cricket match against South Africa at St George’s Park in Gqeberha, South Africa, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
“There are those different styles he has to adjust to right now, one where he has complete control, with T20Is. He is running the ship and he is taking SKY along and evolving him as a leader. There is freedom there,” he said.
Uthappa maintained that Gautam in his press conferences has said that he has had utmost respect for Rohit Sharma as a captain and as a cricketer.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah talks with teammate India’s captain Rohit Sharma, right, following the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
“Here they are probably finding the chemistry of the dynamic. It hasn’t been set yet, probably with Bumrah, he was leading his first Test, so the chemistry was better.
“Some just probably click and some take some time to click. It is not like the chemistry is not there. It is there and you can see in Gambhir’s interviews. He respects and likes Rohit a lot.
“Sometimes, relationships take time, as both are leaders with their own styles.”
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