Former England player Monty Panesar believes India’s formula of one coach for all formats will not work with Gautam Gambhir after losing six Test matches as head coach. The Indian cricket team’s performance has been shaky since Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid in July 2024.
They suffered their first ODI series defeat against Sri Lanka since 1997 and were incredibly whitewashed 3-0 at home in a Test series by New Zealand. To add to their woes, India lost the Test series 3-1 to Australia, losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ten years.
However, the Men in Blue are undefeated in T20I cricket, winning all six matches under new coach Gambhir, but he is yet to win the ODI match, and now all eyes are on the upcoming three-match series ODI against India at home. of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Monty Panesar demands sacking of Gautam Gambhir as Indian Test coach
Although Gambhir has had successful stints as a T20 mentor with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). As captain, the former Indian batter won two IPL titles and he also played a crucial role in India’s T20 and ODI World Cup triumphs in 2007 and 2011, respectively.
But his Test numbers haven’t been great in Australia and England, and now India’s Test performances have highlighted his weakness in red-ball cricket, prompting many to suggest that the BCCI have separate coaches for white ball and test teams.
Well, Monty Panesar supported the idea of having separate coaches for the Indian cricket team for white-ball and red-ball cricket. He feels that coaching all three teams is too much for Gautam Gambhir, and he might face the order of senior players, while playing with them.
Do Indian players not respect Gautam Gambhir?
Monty Panesar was quoted as saying by the Times of India: “I think so. I think it’s a good option. I think the workload may be too heavy for Gambhir… He has just become a coach. Sometimes it can be difficult for some senior players who think, “Well, I was his teammate a few years ago; now he is teaching us how to play cricket. It can be difficult, that transition, and also his record (as a batting) is not great in Australia or England.
In Australia, Gambhir managed only 181 runs in four Tests at an average of 22.62, while in England, he managed only 127 runs in five outings at an average of 12.70. Such numbers do not befit a Test team coach, and now the BCCI should give the role of Test coach to VVS Laxman, Panesar said.
India needs a legend like VVS Laxman for the Test team: Monty Panesar
The former England player said that Gambhir’s Test figures are not that good and that poses a challenge for him to command respect in the Indian dressing room. He mentioned that legends like VVS Laxman, who have proven themselves in all conditions, naturally command respect and authority.
Panesar further explained, “I think the selectors will ask themselves, ‘Is Gambhir taking this seriously as a coach, or should we make him focus only on ODIs and T20Is and can -maybe bring in someone like VVS Laxman, for example (as Test coach?)? Or bring him in as batting coach to help Gambhir. He looks like Rahul Dravid. He succeeded in all conditions. I think you need some sort of Indian legend, who has done very well in all conditions, to come in as a coach, because then you naturally command that respect.
He concluded: “If Laxman says to you, ‘You’re not going to play the ball uphill when it’s swinging,’ you listen, don’t you? But with Gambhir, I don’t know if they really take him seriously, or if they just say, ‘Okay, yes, we’ll listen to him, but we’ll play our natural game.’ »
