India head coach Gautam Gambhir hasn't yet found the recipe for success in the longest format.
Amid the ongoing white-ball preparations for the Men in Blue, head coach Gautam Gambhir has been reminded of his lack of success in the longest format of the game.
South Africa Test skipper Temba Bavuma has come out with a word of caution for the Indian head coach, describing what would be a phase of tough few months for the former Indian star. Since, his appointment as the head coach, the Indian red-ball side has not been anywhere near to its best.
Temba Bavuma was not far off from the position that the Indian red-ball side is currently in. The Protea Test skipper went through some rough transition a few years ago when many of their senior players made way for young blood.
“When it comes to the red-ball stuff, India are definitely a team in transition. There is nothing unique about where India find themselves in Test cricket. However, from a red-ball point of view, it’s going to be tough for this Indian team in the near future,” said the World Test Championship winner.
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There is no doubt to the fact that the Men in Blue have found themselves in a difficult situation in red-ball cricket. That being said, the team is scheduled to play only five Tests this year, with two of them on New Zealand soil – which will be a challenge in itself.
Bavuma also voiced that the team might be well placed in white-ball cricket, with players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma around in ODIs to make the job a bit easier. However, there have been multiple opinions about split coaching roles, which Bavuma thinks is not the way ahead.
He further mentioned that the South Africans implemented the split coaching rule a few years ago, which was the right thing to do, given the circumstances. Furthermore, he also stated that it might not be the best thing to do for the Indian team, as it hampers the continuity of the players.
‘At the time there was sense behind the split rule. But now having one coach across all formats works a lot better for players from a continuity point of view. Moreover, it’s advantageous from a philosophy and playing style point of view. I don’t think a lot of teams are going with the split-format system anymore, and to be honest, I’m not really in favour of that rule,” said Bavuma.
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