Former Indian cricketer calls Gautam Gambhir “country’s hero”; supports him as head coach in all formats
Former cricketer Arun Lal has backed India head coach Gautam Gambhir to remain the team’s head coach for all formats despite the recent slump in Indian Test cricket. Lal argued that Gambhir cannot be judged on the team’s results alone.
With Gautam Gambhir as the head coach, India recently lost the Test series in Australia 1-3. After with this result, Australia returned the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ten years. As expected, Gambhir’s role is questionable and he is under pressure for the upcoming tournaments.
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Arun Lal supports Gautam Gambhir
During a chat with RevSportz, Arun Lal was asked if India needed a second Test cricket coach after India’s recent disappointing performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Lal believes that Gautam Gambhir should be given some time and his coaching cannot be judged on the team’s results. He reminded the viewers of Gambhir’s playing credentials and called him the country’s hero.
“I don’t think so. You can’t judge a coach’s performance by results alone. It’s commitment, it’s drive, it’s people management, it’s how he behaves. If he wins one-day cricket and loses red-ball cricket, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t know how to coach,” said Lal.
“He has played as much red cricket as anyone. He is the hero of the country. So give it (some) time, (This is) a turbulent start, no doubt. His modus operandi is very different from others. It’s not like you believed in him , then give him enough time to perform.
🚨 Arun Lal on #GautamGambhir‘s coaching: “It’s all about man management. Give him time. I agree with him”.
He spoke about the return of stars like Rohit & Virat to domestic cricket and the importance of cricket #RanjiTrofej.@ThumsUpOfficial
A lot: https://t.co/glD2vtH3yr pic.twitter.com/7JXsIvvXS7
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) January 23, 2025
Gautam Gambhir 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 was the best Test No.1 for a long time.
Arun Lal on India’s recent Test defeats
Arun Lal also spoke about India’s recent performances in Test cricket. He felt 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 mistakes against New Zealand. We were desperate to reach the WTC final. We wanted to win at any cost. We were the better team in terms of mindset if we play a five-day game in India against any team,” Lal said.
“But if you try to win in three days, then you reduce the difference between the favorites and the contenders. I think we made a mistake, but then, we all learn from our mistakes,” he pointed out.
India in the tenure of coach Gautam Gambhir
India have already seen some shock results in Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as head coach. The Men in Blue lost the ODI series to Sri Lanka in August 2024, their first series defeat in the country in 27 years.
Later, the Test team lost to New Zealand 0-3, which was all the more shocking given India’s stellar record at home. It was India’s first Test series defeat at home in 12 years.
Recently, the Men in Blue lost the Test series in Australia, their first loss in a decade. Australia finally brought back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ten years.
