The tenure of India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, hasn’t been a healthy one in the red-ball format as they were drilled by a 0-3 clean sweep at home against New Zealand, which now stands as their first home series defeat in known conditions since 2012/13 against England. In 24 years, for the first time, they have been whitewashed at home in a Test series.
This has put pressure on Gautam Gambhir, who isn’t ready to look back at the past and is prepared to plan for the future. However, there is no doubt about the pressure he has on his shoulders. The five-match red-ball series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 could be the acid test for him.
The Blue Brigade will aim to claim their third successive Test series win down under, having got the honor in 2018/19 and 2020/21. Four wins without conceding a defeat will only confirm their qualification for the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 at Lord’s scheduled to take place next June.
Gautam Gambhir started his tenure with a 0-3 series victory in Sri Lanka in the shortest format of the game but was handed a 2-0 series defeat in the 50-over format of the game. Later, they also gained a victory against Bangladesh with a 5-0 margin through two Tests and three 20-over encounters.
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The former New Zealand bowler, Simon Doull, who was present in India during the recent series with the Kiwis, couldn’t control their laughter as he predicted that the World Cup-winning member of India could end up losing his job if they suffer a 4-1 defeat to a whitewash down under.
Nasser Hussain sympathized with Ricky Ponting after Gautam Gambhir’s comment
In an interaction with Mike Atherton on Sky Sports, Doull was asked about the recent word exchange between Gautam Gambhir and Ricky Ponting, where the former warned the latter not to make comments on Indian players after Ponting highlighted his view on the current form of Virat Kohli and how he would perform in the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.
Doull predicted that the coaching tenure of Gambhir could be shorter than Greg Chappell. The former Australian served the role of the Indian side between May 2005 and early 2007, a period which attracted many controversies, a rift with the captain of that side, Sourav Ganguly, and a forgettable show in the 2007 ODI World Cup in the Caribbean.
The former Kiwi pacer has urged Gautam Gambhir to embrace the media but noted that he could lose his job if he fails in the BGT series.
“It could be a shorter tenure than Greg Chappell’s tenure in charge of India. We have all either played alongside him or sat with him, we know he can be that gruff type of character. Is it what India needs at this moment? Well, they certainly feel they do. He has the history and the backing to be able to sit down with those players and talk to them about how to play the game and how Test cricket works.” The former pacer of the Blackcaps remarked.
“But it’s a tough ask, and it’s a huge series coming up. He’s never going to be friendly with the media, but if he embraced it a little more, Gautam Gambhir could end up having a bit of a cult following. But not sure he’s going down that road. And if he doesn’t get the results in Australia, or it’s a 4-1 or 5-0, I don’t know if his job continues.” The renowned commentator claimed.
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The former England captain, Nasser Hussain, who was part of the video, couldn’t stop laughing after he pointed that dig of Gautam Gambhir towards Ponting.
“It’s a complete flip because they went from Dravid, who was more affable on the outside but tough as nails inwardly, to Gambhir is angry on the outside and quite calm in the dressing room. But it was an odd dig at Ricky, who was only asked to comment on Virat, and now has been told to speak only on Australian players.” Nasser Hussain concluded.
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