JURY is out for head coach of Indian team Gautam Gambhir after the stunning whitewash against South Africa in the two-Test series. The former opening batsman is being mocked by fans and pilloried by critics for his inability to win at home. Questions are being asked about Gambhir’s strategies for the current Test team and whether his emotional side is getting too dominating for the team. Amid the outrage, the coach has stood strong, reminding his critics the scintillating show by a young side in England early this year.

 

The defiance is a typical Gambhir show but the question is, whether it will help him stay longer without positive results in red-ball cricket? The loss to South Africa has clearly hurt the fans. It came despite India fielding its best players and on pitches suiting their strength. The whitewash immediately opened up the wounds of a 3-0 blanking by New Zealand last year. It was the reason behind his booing by spectators after losing the Guwahati Test. However, beyond the public criticism, what has struck a chord with cricket fans is the remark by former SA great AB de Villiers. The former Protean captain has stated that Gambhir’s strong emotions might be working against his strategic planning. AB has known Gambhir as an intense fighter during his playing days. Gambhir’s feisty nature landed him in disciplinary issues as a player.

 

The same trait might be working against him in the dressing room. Weird strategies were clearly at the heart of the loss to South Africa. Gambhir’s team asked for spin-friendly pitches but surprisingly packed the side with all-rounders. In the first Test at Kolkata, the coach included four spinners but hardly used the extra spinner. Strategically, on a spin-friendly pitch, an extra batsman is drafted into the team. The move backfired badly as India lost within three days. The team’s red-ball plans have been heavily criticised, particularly the increasing reliance on all-rounders instead of proven specialists. It looked a decision backed by emotions instead of logic. It always carried the danger of biting back with just one wrong move. Gambhir was simply playing with fire. Strangely, the coach was immaculate in his planning during the enthralling series against England.

 

It helped young Shubman Gill earn a highly respected draw in his captaincy debut. Barring the perplexing decision of benching Kuldeep Yadav for the entire series, both the captain and coach took the right calls. It seemed, Gambhir has taken the right lessons from the humiliating home whitewash against New Zealand. The SA series shows, the coach is yet to figure out the strengths of his team at home. Though India’s next Test assignment is long away, the BCCI and selectors must take up the twin losses for a deeper scrutiny. The defeats point towards a serious lapse in planning and team composition. If the players and coaches are not on the same page, then BCCI has to find a bridge connecting them.