Gambhir hits back at IPL team owner: “You have no right to interfere in my work”
Visakhapatnam: After India’s disappointing collapse in red-ball cricket (Test series), the team has now started winning in white-ball formats, and head coach Gautam Gambhir appears to have regained his momentum. During Saturday’s press conference, he issued a strong message through the media to the owner of an IPL franchise over his controversial suggestion.
What Parth Jindal had said
Following India’s 0–2 whitewash against South Africa in the home Test series last month, Parth Jindal, owner of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals (DC), posted on social media addressing the BCCI.
He suggested that “the time has come to appoint a specialist red-ball coach for the Test team.”
Gambhir currently serves as the head coach across all three formats — Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
India hit back in white-ball cricket
After being swept 0–2 in the Test series against South Africa, India responded by winning the ODI series 2–1 on Saturday.
In the first Test in Kolkata, India failed to chase even a modest target of 124 runs and lost. In the Guwahati Test, they suffered a crushing 408-run defeat.
Gill’s sudden absence highlighted
Following the loss in the first Test, questions were raised about Gautam Gambhir’s coaching. However, in that match, captain Shubman Gill was forced to retire hurt on 3 runs due to sudden neck pain and could not bat again for the rest of the match.
What Gambhir told the media
Speaking at the press conference, Gambhir said:
“I fully agree that the Test series result was very bad for India. But no newspaper or magazine highlighted that in both innings of that match, our in-form batsman and captain Shubman Gill could not bat — that is why we lost.
I never make excuses for defeat in press conferences, but that does not mean the truth should not be brought before the country and the world.
When a team is going through a transition phase, and at the very start of a series you lose your captain — and such a captain who has scored 1,000 runs in the last seven matches — the result cannot be in the team’s favour.
People who have nothing to do with cricket talk about changing the coach. Such people should stay limited to their own work.
We do not interfere in anyone’s work, and such people have no right to interfere in our work.”