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The Indian men's cricket team, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, is facing intense scrutiny following a humiliating 3-0 Test series whitewash at home against New Zealand. This unprecedented defeat, marking the first time India lost a home series with such a scoreline, has ignited a heated debate about the team's performance and coaching strategy. The focus has particularly fallen on the team's batting failures, especially against spin bowling, prompting sharp criticism of the batting coach, whose identity remains unclear.
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali, in a video on his YouTube channel, lambasted the absence of a clear, dedicated batting coach within Gambhir's coaching staff. He questioned the lack of guidance for Indian batsmen, especially against the challenging spin-friendly tracks prepared for the series. Ali argued that the team's approach of aiming for high run rates in every over was not conducive to Test cricket, which demands a session-by-session strategy. He highlighted the failure to instill patience and adaptability in young batsmen like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, urging the need for proper dialogue and guidance to help them capitalize on their starts and avoid falling to loose shots.
Ali's criticism further pointed towards the lack of a proactive coaching approach, where young players are not adequately equipped to handle the pressure and complexities of Test cricket. He emphasized that on such spin-dominated pitches, it is the ability to be set and play long innings that determines success. The absence of a dedicated batting coach, according to Ali, is a crucial factor contributing to the team's struggles in the series.
Source: "Who Is India's Batting Coach? Doesn't Even Know...": For Gautam Gambhir, Sharp Criticism From Pak