Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has come out in staunch defence of under-fire India head coach Gautam Gambhir, branding him the "best ever" coach and mentor he has worked with in his cricketing career. Gurbaz, who played under Gambhir's mentorship during the Kolkata Knight Riders' triumphant IPL 2024 campaign, expressed bewilderment at the recent criticism directed at the former Indian opener.
Gurbaz Baffled by Gambhir Criticism
In an interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI), Gurbaz dismissed the negativity surrounding Gambhir following India's 0-2 Test series defeat at home to South Africa. This loss marked India's second Test whitewash on home soil in recent years, after a 0-3 defeat to New Zealand last year. The results have severely dented India's long-standing reputation for dominance in home Test matches, with the team having lost five of its last seven Tests played in India.
"If 1.4 billion people are there in your country, you can say 2-3 million will be against him. The rest are with Gautam sir and with the India team. It doesn't make sense to talk about them," Gurbaz stated, putting the scale of the criticism into perspective. He emphasized that Gambhir's overall record should be the focus, highlighting recent successes. India won the Champions Trophy in the ODI format and the Asia Cup in the T20 format under the current coaching setup.
Praise for Gambhir's Coaching Philosophy
Gurbaz credited Gambhir's man-management and environment-building skills as key factors in KKR's IPL 2024 victory. "He's the best ever coach and human being, mentor that I have had in my career so far. I love the way he goes about things," the Afghan star said. He elaborated that Gambhir fostered a positive and stress-free atmosphere within the team, which he believes is crucial for success.
"When you have a good environment, you will be always on the top. He made the environment very easy for us, nothing stressful, nothing strict… and that’s why we won the tournament," Gurbaz explained. He clarified that while Gambhir is disciplined and expects the same from his players, he is not unnecessarily strict. "He is strict only when something goes against discipline."
Call for Support for Indian Team
Addressing the backlash from the Test series loss, Gurbaz appealed for fans and critics to support the Indian team during this challenging phase. He argued that losing is a natural part of sport and that players should not be blamed excessively for a single poor result.
"As a cricketer, I will never blame players because everyone works hard and tries their best. They lost, so what? They are human. Sometimes you lose — it’s part of life," Gurbaz said, showing empathy for his fellow professionals. "When you are going through bad times, that’s when you need support." His comments serve as a strong endorsement for Gambhir's methods and character at a time when the Indian coach is facing significant scrutiny.
