Ex-India cricketer calls Gautam Gambhir "hero of the country"; backs him as head coach in all formats
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Former cricketer Arun Lal has backed India's head coach Gautam Gambhir to remain as the team's head coach for all the formats despite India's recent decline in Test cricket. Lal claimed that Gambhir cannot be judged just based on the team's results.
With Gautam Gambhir as head coach, India recently lost the Test series in Australia 1-3. After this result, Australia regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ten years. As expected, Gambhir's role was questioned and he is under pressure for the upcoming tournaments.
Also read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Varun Chakravarthy's case for a last-minute inclusion gets stronger
Arun Lal backs Gautam Gambhir
During a conversation with RevSportz, Arun Lal was asked whether India needs a different coach for Test cricket after India's disappointing performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy recently.
Lal believes that Gautam Gambhir needs to be given some time and his coaching cannot be judged after the team's results. He reminded the viewers of Gambhir's red-ball credentials as a player and called him a hero of the country.
"I don't think so. Just by results, you can't judge a coach's performance. It's commitment, it's drive, It's man management, it's how he is handling. If he is winning one-day cricket and losing red-ball cricket, it doesn't mean that he doesn't know how to coach," Lal said.
"He has played red-ball cricket as much as anybody else. He is a hero of the country. So, give (some) time, (It's a) turbulent start, no doubt. His way of functioning is much different from others. Not that you have reposed faith in him, then give him enough time to perform. So, I'm okay with him," he added.
🚨 Arun Lal on #GautamGambhir's coaching: "It's all about man management. Give him time. I'm OK with him".
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) January 23, 2025
He spoke about stars like Rohit & Virat making a comeback to domestic cricket and the importance of the #RanjiTrophy.@ThumsUpOfficial
Full: https://t.co/glD2vtH3yr pic.twitter.com/7JXsIvvXS7
Gautam Gambhir has played 58 Tests for India and scored 4154 runs at an average of 41.95 with 9 hundreds and 22 fifties. The left-handed opener played a key role in India's dominance in Test cricket and helped them rise to No. 1 in the Test rankings. Gambhir himself has served as the No. 1 Test batter for a significant period.
Arun Lal on India's recent Test defeats
Arun Lal also spoke about India's recent performances in Test cricket. He feels that India made some mistakes during the home Test series and also raised questions about the team's ultra-aggressive batting style that led to their downfall.
"Strategically, the team made some errors against New Zealand. We wanted to desperately reach the WTC Finals. We wanted to win at all costs. We were a better team by way of thinking if we play a five-day game in India against any team," Lal reckoned.
"But if you're trying to win in three days, then you're reducing the gap between the favorite and the pretender. I think we made a mistake but then, we all learn from our mistakes," he noted.
India in coach Gautam Gambhir's tenure
India has already seen quite a few shocking results in Gautam Gambhir's tenure as head coach. The Men in Blue lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka in August 2024 which was their first series defeat in the country in 27 years.
Later, the Test team lost to New Zealand 0-3 which was even more shocking considering India's formidable record at home. It was India's first Test series loss at home in 12 years.
Recently, the Men in Blue lost the Test series in Australia which was their first defeat to them in a decade. Australia finally regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ten years.
