Sydney: Gautam Gambhir has always had a quick temper, a trait that has been evident throughout his career. Even during his playing days, his intensity could be challenging for others to manage. While this did not detract from his abilities as a player, his presence in the locker room often came with certain challenges.

This aspect of his personality contributed to the scepticism surrounding his appointment as the coach of the Indian team. Primarily, he lacked substantial coaching experience. Serving as a mentor in the Indian Premier League is vastly different from managing elite players in international cricket. The question remained whether his aggressive, confrontational style would be beneficial.

In the immediate term, the results have not been promising. India finds itself in a difficult position, with disappointing outcomes over the past six months. The team suffered a 2-0 defeat in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, followed by a 3-0 loss in the home Test series against New Zealand—their first home series defeat in 12 years—and a 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, marking the first time Australia has triumphed over India in a series in a decade. These results indicate a troubling trend.

Thus, it was not unexpected that during India’s final press conference in Australia on Sunday, head coach Gambhir displayed visible frustration. He was curt and dismissive, often interrupting questions before launching into lengthy responses.

Nevertheless, he addressed various topics, including his perspectives on the futures of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the reasons behind the series losses, and the performance of Jasprit Bumrah, while emphasizing the importance of resilience in cricket. A recurring theme in his remarks was the notion of simplicity in understanding the issues at hand.

However, the simplicity of the questions may stem from their obvious nature, while the complexity of the answers presents a different challenge entirely.

The two most experienced batsmen are currently underperforming, the leading spinner (R Ashwin) has retired—altering the dynamics of home Tests—and the pace attack heavily relies on Bumrah's exceptional talent, with only a few young players showing promise.

What next for the seniors?

He must strike an appropriate balance between providing opportunities for younger players and ensuring that the senior members remain in optimal condition, especially considering that a challenging Test series in England could exacerbate India's difficulties. However, it is crucial that he accomplishes this without becoming overly intense or losing his composure. His predecessors, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid, excelled in this regard, as they understood how to inspire the senior players and maintain their performance at a high standard. Gambhir, on the other hand, appears to have struggled with effective communication in this area.

Bumrah’s backup?

It is evident that Mohammed Siraj possesses great determination; however, his wicket-taking performances have not met expectations. This raises the question of whether this is precisely what Bumrah requires. During the peak form of Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, India was a formidable force. The pressure they exerted was unyielding, and they rarely bowled loose deliveries. This is a crucial aspect that bowling coach Morne Morkel must instil in the younger players. With a significant focus on white-ball cricket among many of them, one must wonder if they will ever truly excel in the longer formats.

Domestic cricket

In the post-match press conference, Gambhir expressed his desire for all players to participate in as many red-ball matches as possible, emphasizing the importance of competing in the Ranji Trophy. He contends that this is the ideal platform for identifying and developing talent suited for the red-ball format. However, one must question why Abhimanyu Easwaran, despite his extensive first-class experience, was merely a spectator. The same applies to Sarfaraz Khan. Why include these players in the squad if they are not utilized, especially when the leading batsmen are underperforming? Instead, when the opportunity arose to field an additional batsman, the team opted for Washington Sundar.

What is his real vision?

The evaluation of the coaching staff's performance is necessary; however, it is anticipated that this will occur in conjunction with the Special General Meeting scheduled for January 12. Gambhir's strategies have been perplexing, with significant alterations observed in Australia after each match. The decision to field six bowlers was excessive, and India would have benefited from including an additional batsman on the challenging SCG surface. Furthermore, the bowling performance has yielded inconsistent results. With six losses in eight Test matches, the situation is concerning. While he may excel in white-ball formats, questions remain regarding his qualifications for Test cricket.

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