India, Australia tour 2024-25: Gambhir’s ‘spiky’ coaching style not a good fit for Indian team

IMAGE: India head coach Gautam Gambhir. Photo: ANI/X

Gautam Gambhir’s ‘prickly’ coaching style may not bode well for the Indian team and it could be a ‘long summer’ if they fail to start strong in the Perth Test on November 22, the former Australian captain warns Tim Paine.

Shocked by an unprecedented 0-3 loss in the home series against New Zealand, the Gambhir-coached side now face the daunting task of defending the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in a five-match series against Australia, starting with the Perth Test .

“Their last two series wins here they had Ravi Shastri, who was fantastic. He created a great environment, the players were energized, they played with passion, he sold them the dream and motivated them in a very light-hearted and enjoyable way,” Paine said on SEN Radio.

“They (India) have now gone to a new coach who is really irritable and very competitive – and that’s not to say this isn’t a good thing and a good way to coach – but my concern is that it’s not a good fit for the Indian cricket team.

“If your coach is the first to burst out at a press conference after being asked a simple question, it could be a very long summer for Gautam Gambhir if India don’t get off to a good start in Perth.”

Paine’s comments stemmed from a recent media interaction in which Gambhir criticized Ricky Ponting’s comments on Virat Kohli’s struggling form, saying the Australian legend has nothing to worry about in Indian cricket.

Ponting in turn described Gambhir as “quite a prickly character”.

Paine felt Gambhir’s reluctance was a sign that he might not be able to remain calm under pressure, which would be India’s ‘biggest concern’ – even more than the struggling form of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

“I don’t like it. I guess that’s not a good sign because all he was asked was a very simple question. I think maybe he still sees Ricky as someone he plays against,” Paine said.

“But Ricky is a commentator now – he gets paid to give his opinion, and his opinion was spot on. Virat is slipping, it is definitely a matter of concern.

“But for me, the biggest concern for India right now is not Rohit Sharma’s batting, not Virat Kohli’s batting, it is their coach and his ability to remain calm under pressure,” he added.