Former Indian spin legend Harbhajan Singh has weighed in on the intense debate surrounding the Indian cricket team's coaching structure. This comes in the wake of the team's disappointing performances in Test cricket under head coach Gautam Gambhir, sparking discussions about potentially splitting the coaching role.
Test Setbacks Under Gambhir's Leadership
The conversation has been ignited by a series of poor results in the longest format. India suffered a humiliating 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand in 2024. This was followed by another significant home defeat, a 0-2 series loss to South Africa in 2025. Both these setbacks occurred with Gautam Gambhir at the helm as head coach.
These losses have had serious consequences. The defeat to New Zealand not only marked the end of India's long-standing dominance in Test cricket, built by captains like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, but it also cost the team a spot in the ICC World Test Championship 2025 final. The recent loss to South Africa now threatens to jeopardize India's chances for the next edition of the marquee Test championship final, depending on upcoming match results.
Harbhajan's Call for Patience and Perspective
Speaking to ANI, Harbhajan Singh highlighted the immense pressure and responsibility that comes with coaching the Indian national team. He pointed out a common trend in Indian cricket culture where the coach bears the brunt of criticism during lean phases, while successes are often celebrated as team efforts.
"It is not that easy to become a coach of India," Harbhajan stated. "To be a coach, you have to travel with the team for a whole year and keep yourself involved in the game. You have to be more engaged because there are multiple team selections, and you also need to focus on match results. In India, it is our tradition that if the team plays well, everyone is quiet, but as soon as the team plays poorly, we get on top of the coach."
Coming to Gambhir's defence, the former cricketer urged fans and critics to show patience. He reminded everyone of Gambhir's stellar contributions as a player for India and emphasized that the coach cannot go onto the field to play.
The Split Coaching Debate: A Future Solution?
While advocating for support for the current coach, Harbhajan did not entirely dismiss the idea of a split coaching setup, which has been successfully adopted by other cricketing nations like England. He suggested that if the need arises in the future, it is a viable policy to consider.
"If you feel you need to split the coaching, such as adopting a policy of one white ball and one red ball, then there is no need to do so for now," he said. "But over time, if needed, you should definitely do it. There is nothing wrong with that."
This perspective adds a nuanced layer to the debate. It is important to note that Gambhir's tenure has not been without success. Under his leadership, India clinched the prestigious ICC Champions Trophy title in 2025 in Dubai. The Men in Blue have also continued to perform strongly in white-ball cricket (ODIs and T20s), indicating a clear disparity in results between the two formats.
The core of Harbhajan's message is a plea for balanced evaluation. He acknowledges the real struggles in Test cricket but also points to the concurrent white-ball success, suggesting that a rash decision may not be the answer. However, he leaves the door open for a structural change like split coaching as a potential solution if the Test team's fortunes do not improve.
