Wednesday was a challenging day for the Indian team in Guwahati when South Africa achieved a 2-0 clean sweep, shaking the team's confidence and core gameplay. Since Gautam Gambhir became head coach, this marks the second clean sweep. Questions have surfaced regarding Gambhir's coaching and strategies after last year's New Zealand tour defeat.
Former South African player AB de Villiers remarked, 'I've always seen Gambhir as an emotional player. Managing India in such circumstances isn't easy. I'm unclear on how delicate a leader GG (Gautam Gambhir) really is, but if that intense emotion carries into the dressing room, it's generally not seen as favorable for a coach.'
In a conversation on R. Ashwin's YouTube channel, de Villiers elaborated, 'However, it doesn't suggest Gambhir is the same kind of coach or leader behind the scenes. There's no absolute right or wrong; some players feel more comfortable with former cricketers as coaches, while some prefer those who've not played but have extensive coaching experience.'
De Villiers continued, 'This is not a straightforward answer because I've never played under Shukri's (African coach) guidance nor been in the Indian dressing room with GG, Morne Morkel, or Ryan ten Doeschate. On paper, it all appears great, but the real vibe behind the curtains, I wouldn’t know. All I can say is each player's experience is unique.'
He added, 'Playing under Gary Kirsten's coaching was always gratifying. Being a former player himself, in many ways, he was like Gautam Gambhir. Some players feel more confident under a coach who has been a great player himself, as such someone offers additional inspiration, fueling them to work harder for both the team and the coach.'
