(Source X)
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has stepped up to defend India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir following the team’s ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka. Despite the backlash Gambhir faced for his tactical decisions, Ali asserts that the coach’s strategies were not at fault. Instead, he places the blame on the players for their underperformance.
India’s three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka ended in a 2-0 loss, marking their first series defeat to the island nation since 1997. Following the series, Gambhir faced criticism for his decision to adjust the batting order and implement a left-right combination against Sri Lanka’s spinners, which ultimately did not yield the desired results.
Ali pointed out that while Gambhir introduced new tactics, it was up to the players to execute them. He highlighted that aside from Rohit Sharma, the rest of the batting lineup struggled, failing to adapt to the 50-over format and instead playing with a T20 mindset. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Ali emphasized that the issues lay with the players’ performance rather than the coach’s approach.
“In 3 matches, Sri Lanka played 150 overs and India played 116 overs. India was not ready for the longer format. They were playing in the T20 style. Now you said that left-right combination. Look, the coach has changed. His team has changed. He brought his own policy. Who had to implement it? Me? Or you guys? No, the players who played. Did any batter implement it other than Rohit Sharma? No, right?
“Where is the performance? Virat Kohli is the number 1 batsman in the world. No one will like him more than me. I like only 2 players. Virat and Babar but there is no performance. There is no practice. What will happen if Gill plays a shot like this? Who will lose? India will lose. Iyer came, Rahul came, Rishabh Pant played 1 match. Riyan Parag played 1 match but he showed it, both in bowling and batting, where he scored 15 runs. But we always see that the plan that is given by the coach, who delivers it? Players do it. “
You can’t say that Gautam Gambhir’s coaching was bad – Basit Ali
Basit Ali further defended Gautam Gambhir by suggesting that the Indian players gave their best efforts but were unable to perform effectively. He argued that Gambhir’s coaching should not be judged harshly after just one series and emphasized that the head coach deserves time to establish himself in the role. Ali also made a provocative statement, asserting that a clearer assessment of Gambhir’s impact will emerge after the Champions Trophy 2025.
“Players couldn’t do it. They tried but couldn’t do it. So, you can’t say that Gautam Gambhir’s coaching was bad. It’s wrong. It was his first assignment. Let him do it now. In future, there will be easy series against Bangladesh. When he goes to Australia, he will be tested. You asked my opinion. Now, I will give you my opinion.
“After the Champions Trophy, there will be a decision. Please remember what I am saying. After the Champions Trophy, there will be a decision. Will Gautam continue? Or Rohit and Virat Kohli will take retirement from 50-over cricket? The right picture will come out after the Champions Trophy,” Basit Ali concluded.
