India's newly appointed head coach, Gautam Gambhir, delivered a fiery rebuttal to the growing social media chatter advocating for separate coaches for red-ball and white-ball cricket. The strong dismissal came during a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday, following India's 2-1 ODI series victory over South Africa.
Gambhir's Surprise at "Domain" Overreach
Expressing clear surprise at the external suggestions, Gambhir directly addressed the theories that gained traction after India's 0-2 Test series loss in South Africa. He revealed that several cricket personalities, including an IPL team owner, had suggested the split-coaching idea to the BCCI. Gambhir firmly advised commentators and outsiders to maintain their boundaries and not venture into domains where they lack expertise.
"Some people also said things that have nothing to do with cricket. An IPL team owner also wrote about split coaching. So this is surprising," Gambhir stated. He emphasized a principle of professional respect: "It's very important for people to stay in their domain. Because if we don't go into someone's domain, then they also don't have the right to come into our domain."
The Overlooked Factor: Captain Gill's Absence
A key point of contention for Gambhir was the media's handling of the Test series defeat. He argued that a crucial factor was largely ignored in the post-mortem. He pointed out that the first Test was played without captain Shubman Gill, who missed batting in both innings due to a neck injury.
"Look, there were a lot of talks because the results didn't go in our favour. But the most surprising thing is that not once did any media or journalist wrote that our first Test match was played without the captain, who didn't bat in both innings," Gambhir explained during the post-match conference.
Navigating Transition Without Excuses
While asserting that he does not believe in making excuses, Gambhir stressed the importance of presenting facts. He framed the Test loss within the context of a team undergoing transition and coping with the absence of its primary batter and leader in challenging conditions.
"I don't give excuses in press conferences. It doesn't mean that you don't show the facts in front of the world or the country," he noted. "When you go through a transition and when you lose your captain, who is also your main batter in red-ball cricket against such a team, then obviously the results are difficult." He expressed frustration that this perspective was missing from the widespread discussions, which instead focused on other elements like pitch conditions.
The coach's comments underscore a period of adjustment for the Indian Test side and his clear intent to shield the team from what he perceives as uninformed external noise, while firmly taking charge of the narrative surrounding the team's performance and challenges.
