India’s recent struggles in home Test cricket have sparked widespread criticism, but former cricketer Suresh Raina has stepped forward to defend head coach Gautam Gambhir, insisting that the team’s poor results are not solely the coach’s fault. With India facing the possibility of yet another home Test series defeat—after losses to New Zealand last year and a fresh setback against South Africa—Gambhir’s leadership has come under intense scrutiny.
Raina pointed out that while Gambhir’s aggressive tactics have been highly successful in white-ball formats—highlighted by India’s recent ICC Champions Trophy victory and Asia Cup performances—the same approach has not translated effectively into red-ball cricket. However, he emphasized that the responsibility to score runs under challenging conditions lies with the players, not the coach.
Speaking during the Indian Softball Cricket League’s jersey launch, Raina stated that Gambhir has worked tirelessly behind the scenes and that criticism of him is misplaced. According to Raina, coaches provide strategy and structure, but execution on the field remains the players’ job. He also mentioned that if athletes face issues, they must communicate openly with the coach rather than letting blame fall solely on management.
Raina further added that cricket is a performance-driven sport; when the team succeeds, coaches are praised, and when results decline, blame shifts quickly. He believes that Gambhir should not be targeted for India’s failures, stressing that the players must shoulder accountability for their performances if the team is to bounce back in Test cricket.
