Table of Contents
Former pacer Ashish Nehra recently shared his opinion on Gautam Gambhir‘s tactics as head coach of India. Nehra took aim at Gambhir’s choice to include veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka.
The Indian team, under Gambhir’s leadership, is trailing 0-1 in the three-match ODI series. Nehra’s remarks come amid growing scrutiny of the team’s performance and strategic decisions in the series.
Ashish Nehra opines on Gautam Gambhir’s coaching approach
The ongoing ODI series follows a gruelling season, including the IPL 2024 and the T20 World Cup. With a busy home season approaching, it was anticipated that senior players might be rested to give them a break and allow new talent to gain experience.
Nehra’s primary criticism is that Gambhir missed a valuable opportunity to evaluate emerging players during this series. By retaining senior players, Gambhir opted for experienced talent rather than exploring potential new additions to the squad.
“The next series India play is 2-3 months later, a rare thing for us. So for players like Rohit and Kohli…I feel there was a better chance of giving opportunities to other players during this series. I know Gambhir is a new coach, and he wants to spend some time with the experienced players, but it isn’t like he doesn’t know the two of them,” Nehra said to Sony Sports Network.
Also WATCH: Kamindu Mendis takes a blinder to dismiss Shubman Gill in the second ODI between Sri Lanka and India
Nehra emphasizes on new talent instead of promoting seniors’ opportunity
The former bowler, Nehra, pointed out that the head coach, Gambhir, already has a well-established relationship with senior players Rohit and Virat. Nehra argued that since Gambhir is not a foreign coach but rather a former teammate who knows both players well, he did not need to build new connections with them. He believes that Gambhir’s familiarity with the star duo should have made it easier to use this series to assess and integrate new talent into the team.
“He is not a foreign coach who wants to get his equation right with Kohli and Rohit. So it was a good opportunity for him to try out the new players, and Rohit and Kohli could play when the home season begins. I’m not saying it is a wrong approach, but it could have been one of the strategies in this series,” Nehra added.
However, Gambhir’s decision to include Rohit and Virat appears to be influenced by their recent retirement from T20Is and the relatively few ODI matches scheduled before the Champions Trophy 2025. This series offers experienced players a valuable opportunity to gain match practice in the 50-over format.
The outcomes of the series have been a rollercoaster of emotions. Rohit has been performing well, scoring fifties in consecutive matches. However, Virat has faced difficulties against the Sri Lankan spinners. The team’s overall performance has been unpredictable, with the first match ending in a tie and the second match resulting in a 32-run defeat, despite a promising start to their chase. The final match of the series is set to take place on August 7, adding to the excitement and unpredictability of the series.
