Gautam Gambhir Hits Back at Critics, Targets DC Co-Owner After India’s 2-1 ODI Win

Gautam Gambhir criticised DC co-owner Parth Jindal after India’s 2-1 ODI win, telling him to stay in his lane while blaming the earlier Test series defeat on Shubman Gill’s injury.

Gautam Gambhir slammed critics following India’s 2-1 ODI win against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on December 6. The head coach addressed comments aimed at the team management and selectors.

Gambhir said the earlier Test loss became harder to manage once captain Shubman Gill suffered a neck injury in Kolkata, ruling him out of the second innings and the following Test. He noted that India were in a transition phase and lost a batter who had scored more than 1000 runs in seven matches.

“We played without our captain. He did not play both innings. That was the only difference, which does not mean you do not bring out the facts. When you are in a transition, you lose your captain, who is our in-form batter, who scored over 1000 runs in seven matches. Against such a team, it is a blow,” said Gambhir in the press conference.

The coach also hit back at the comments from Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal, who questioned India’s coaching structure after the Test defeat.

“Not even close, what a complete thrashing at home! Don’t remember seeing our test side being so weak at home!!!This is what happens when red ball specialists are not picked. This team is nowhere near reflective of the deep strength we possess in the red ball format. Time for India to move to a specialist red ball coach for Test cricket,” Jindal had wrote on X after India’s test defeat.

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Gambhir responded that some voices had stepped outside their domain and stressed the need for restraint when analysing results.

“A lot of people has been saying a lot of things some going out of their domain like one IPL owner who suggested split coaching,'” he said.

India and South Africa will now begin a five-match T20I series, starting on December 9.