Dinesh Karthik Backs Gautam Gambhir Despite Challenging Start as Head Coach

The Indian cricket team has faced a rough patch under Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as head coach, ending the season with back-to-back Test series defeats against New Zealand and Australia. These losses also cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, sparking widespread criticism of Gambhir’s coaching stint.

Despite the underwhelming results, former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has voiced his support for Gambhir, emphasizing the challenges of stepping into the shoes of his predecessor, Rahul Dravid.

Tough Transition Post-Dravid Era

“I think, when it comes to Gautam Gambhir, you got to cut him some slack a little bit because I think he has come in at a very tough time. Post a successful regime of Rahul Dravid, it’s never easy to fill those shoes,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.

Gambhir, a two-time world champion, has seen significant success in T20 cricket, especially with younger players. However, his impact in Test cricket has been less pronounced, with the team struggling after a successful series against Bangladesh.

“He has found success, an immense success in T20 cricket, where he’s had a lot of young boys. He’s been able to have, I would dare say, a massive influence over them. But in Test cricket, he has had the going very hard. Yes, the Bangladesh series was a success, and I think post that, things have just gone downhill for him,” Karthik added.

Is Gambhir Content with the Current Squad?

Karthik also raised questions about whether Gambhir is satisfied with the current set of players in red-ball cricket. Referring to Gambhir’s recent press conference, where he urged senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to make decisions for the team’s future, Karthik pondered whether the coach’s vision aligns with the squad’s composition.

“He wants them to take the decision as to what they feel is best. I think the biggest decision for him to make is, is he very, very happy with his current set of players? Is he able to influence them over decision-making? Are they aligned with his thought process? What is his ideology of how the Test team should look? And are these players fitting in? If that is the case, great. If not, then you have to obviously figure out what is the best way moving forward,” Karthik explained.

Moving Forward

As India navigates this transition period, the spotlight will remain on Gambhir’s ability to steer the team back to winning ways. While his critics are vocal, support from players like Dinesh Karthik highlights the complexities of the role and the need for patience during a rebuilding phase. The coming months will reveal whether Gambhir can adapt and deliver results across formats.