Gautam Gambhir’s stint as India coach shouldn’t be judged too soon: Ajay Jadeja

Former Indian batter Ajay Jadeja has urged critics to exercise patience.

With Gautam Gambhir, the newly appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, amidst the backlash following India’s 0-3 home Test series loss to New Zealand. Speaking at the FICCI Turf event on Saturday, Jadeja emphasised that Gambhir’s performance as coach cannot be fairly evaluated within a short timeframe.

Gambhir, celebrated for his heroics in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph, assumed the head coach role in July, succeeding Rahul Dravid. While the team began on a promising note with a T20I series win over Sri Lanka and a Test series victory against Bangladesh, the subsequent ODI whitewash against New Zealand raised questions about Gambhir’s leadership.

Jadeja, however, believes it is premature to critique Gambhir. “I think you are being unfair to him… If you will start judging people on the basis of their coaching role or whatever way it is being looked at, it is too short a time for people to be judged,” Jadeja remarked.

The former middle-order batter, who amassed over 5000 ODI runs, further elaborated, “There are phases in cricket. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. Gambhir has always been a straightforward individual, and what you see now is what was expected of him. It’s not time to judge him; it’s time to enjoy his approach.”

India’s morale received a significant boost with a dominant 295-run victory over Australia in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series in Perth, following the New Zealand debacle. Jadeja highlighted that this win showcases the team’s resilience and stressed that Gambhir’s leadership should be evaluated over a more extended period.

Jadeja also opened on the return of regular Test captain Rohit Sharma for the second Test in Adelaide, beginning December 6. “Rohit coming back will surely boost India’s confidence. He’s a leader who has stood tall in challenging times and will now guide the team as they move upward,” Jadeja said.

When asked about potential batting order changes for the upcoming Test, Jadeja refrained from speculation but acknowledged KL Rahul’s solid performance in Perth, where he scored 77 in the second innings. “Rahul has been an asset at the top. I’m sure the team management will make the best decision regarding the batting order,” he added.

India’s record win in Perth has set the tone for the series against Australia, and all eyes will now be on Adelaide as the team looks to build momentum under Gambhir’s guidance.