Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
ancient England spinner Monty Panesar has made a significant statement about it Gautam Gambhir’s role as India’s head coachexpressing doubts about the team’s perceived lack of seriousness towards their training methods. Panesar’s remarks come after India’s disappointing performances in the longest format of the game, which included a 0-3 whitewash at home against new zealand and a series defeat 1-3 to Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. His analysis draws attention to Gambhir’s ongoing struggles to establish authority and credibility in the eyes of the players.
The workload and challenges of Gautam Gambhir’s transition
Panesar has pointed out that Gambhir, despite his transition from player to coach, may be struggling to manage the dual responsibility across formats. He believed that Gambhir’s relationship with senior players, who once shared the dressing room with him, adds an extra layer of difficulty in asserting his role as a leader. Panesar further drew attention to Gambhir’s underwhelming record in Test cricket overseas, particularly in Australia and England, which has hampered his credibility as a tactical coach.
“I think maybe the workload is too much for Gambhir. He has just become a coach. Sometimes it can be difficult for some of the senior players who will really be thinking, ‘Well, I was his teammate a while ago. a few years, now he tells us how to play cricket.” It can be difficult, this transition,” Panesar was quoted by the Times of India.
Panesar further highlighted Gambhir’s struggle to perform in difficult conditions.
“He averages 23 in Australia. He doesn’t average well in England either. He didn’t play the moving ball very well. I think the selectors will think, ‘Gambir is taking this seriously as a manager, or we have to get to focus only on ODIs and T20Is?”. added the former left-arm spinner.
READ also: Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan reveal their India squad for Champions Trophy 2025
Need for a more respected coaching figure: the choice of Monty Panesar
Faced with these challenges, Panesar has suggested Laxman Plumbing he might be better suited to the Test coaching role. Laxman’s career has been defined by his success in difficult conditions, including his stellar performances in Australia and England. Panesar believes Laxman, with his experience and ability to command respect, would bring much-needed authority to India’s Test side.
“You need some kind of Indian legend who has done really well in all conditions to come in as a coach because then you naturally command that respect. If Laxman says to you, ‘You’re not going to play the ball up when it’s swinging’, you listen, don’t you? ” stressed Panesar.
Panesar also noted Laxman’s similarity with Rahul Dravidwhose success as a coach has been widely recognised, and believes Laxman could bring similar technical acumen and tactical insight to the India set-up.
“He is similar to Rahul Dravid. He has been successful in all conditions. Laxman could be brought in as batting coach to help Gambhir, or even take on the role of Test coach altogether.” the 42-year-old declared.
Gambhir’s limited appeal to players
One of the critical points raised by Panesar is the lack of trust and respect that Gambhir seems to have among today’s players. Unlike someone like Laxman, whose stellar international career has earned him immense respect, Gambhir’s transition to coaching has yet to gain the same level of credibility. According to Panesar, this gap could be a key reason why players might not be fully on board with Gambhir’s tactical advice.
“I’m not sure if they really take Gambhir seriously, or they just say, ‘OK, yes, we’ll listen to him, but we’ll play our natural game.’ With Laxman, the players would naturally listen because of his excellent record “. Panesar concluded.
