"Who Is India's Batting Coach? Doesn't Even Know..." — Basit Ali Questions Gautam Gambhir's Role After India's Whitewash Loss to New Zealand
Ali argued that these players must be advised to exercise caution once they are set, emphasizing that a batsman settled at the crease has the best chance to succeed on challenging pitches.
India’s cricket team, coached by Gautam Gambhir, faced sharp criticism from former Pakistan batter Basit Ali following a historic 3-0 series whitewash at home against New Zealand. This unprecedented series defeat, marked by India’s struggles with spin-friendly conditions, has sparked questions about the effectiveness of the Indian coaching staff, particularly the batting strategy.
Ali raised concerns about India's inability to adapt their batting approach to Test cricket’s session-based nature. He suggested that India's batters, rather than playing with patience, were overly aggressive, aiming for 10-12 runs per over, a style ill-suited for Tests. On his YouTube channel, Ali asked, “Who is India’s batting coach, who doesn’t advise the players on Test match pacing?”
Gambhir’s coaching team includes Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, but the role of batting coach has lacked clarity, leaving Ali to question if young players like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are receiving the necessary guidance. Ali argued that these players must be advised to exercise caution once they are set, emphasizing that a batsman settled at the crease has the best chance to succeed on challenging pitches.
The Indian batting lineup struggled against New Zealand’s spinners, with Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel dismantling the batting order. In the Pune Test, Santner claimed 13 wickets, while Patel took 11 in Mumbai, illustrating India’s lack of preparation against quality spin.
