Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has suggested that India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir should benefit from taking a more balanced approach during media appearances. His words came after Gambhir’s comments following India’s hard-fought draw with England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester.
India shown incredible tenacity, batting through five sessions over two days. Washington Sundar (101*) and Ravindra Jadeja (107*) guided the visitors to safety with an unbroken 203-run stand, following a strong start by KL Rahul (90) and skipper Shubman Gill (103), who batted through the Day 4.
Gautam Gambhir appeared steadfast in defending his players and decisions,
responding forcefully to earlier criticism. Some people suggested that his comments, particularly those on Gill, were too direct.
“You can tell there are some questions that bother him, especially when people question Gill’s abilities as a young captain and batter. Honestly, they are reasonable concerns. Even cricket experts question whether this was the proper time to give him the opportunity. I really hope that we can all comprehend this better. It’s not about ‘you guys think’ against ‘we think’; we’re all in the same industry and country. I’d just like to see him take a chill pill, unwind, and be receptive to serious questions. “I’m not sure if that will happen,” Manjrekar stated on JioHotstar.
Manjrekar also mentioned that India’s great performance in the series was achieved despite some controversial tactical decisions. Team selection has been a topic of contention, particularly the prolonged omission of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has yet to appear in the series. Many have argued that the current plan, which is driven by an emphasis on batting depth, particularly from the head coach and Gill, may have come at the expense of introducing a more aggressive spin option.
“I believe India has performed well, despite some of his tactical decisions. Let us not forget that India lost 3-0 at home to New Zealand and easily to Australia. What about the fight we’ve seen in this team? The players are responsible for this. Because, tactically, Gambhir has not always made things simpler, particularly with some of his choices. And to claim that Karun Nair ‘wasn’t dropped’… come on. You perceive it as a drop, whereas they see it as ‘choosing the proper team’. “When a player is dropped, he is dropped,” Manjrekar explained.
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