Former Pakistani cricketer, Basit Ali has heavily criticized India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir.
India recently lost a test series 3-0 against New Zealand. It was their first home series defeat in 12 years. India also lost to Sri Lanka under Gambhir’s tenure. After all this, Basit Ali expressed his strong views. He disagreed with India’s “intent-heavy” approach in the longest format. Ali said that the aggressive approach that worked in limited overs cricket won’t work in test cricket.
He believes this approach led to India’s downfall in the series against New Zealand. Ali also criticised India’s batting coach in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
He said, “ India ka batting coach hai kaun, jo yeh nahi bata pa raha ki Test cricket session to session hoti hai? Bas har over 12 run bana lo , 10 run bana lo. Yeh koi cricket hai yaar! (Who is India’s batting coach, not able to advise the batsmen that you approach Tests session by session? Trying to score 10-12 runs every over is not cricket).
Interestingly, India doesn’t have a batting coach in their support staff.
Rahul Dravid has a better mind compared to Gautam Gambhir: Basit Ali
Ali was very critical of Gautam Gambhir. He went on to say, “Jaiswal scored 200 against England. Those were better pitches. Rahul Dravid has a better mind (as a coach) compared to Gautam Gambhir. Dravid used to advise for four-day pitches so that a Test match goes at least until the fourth day. Let it turn from the third, fourth day, and fifth day. But you guys are asking for wickets (that turn) from the first day, where someone who is not a regular spinner will get turn even if he bowls straight”.
He said that is there no one to tell players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill to not throw away their wickets after getting to 30-35 runs.
Ali said, “Is there no one to tell players like Yashasvi and Gill that when you reach 30 – 35, then don’t get out playing loose shots. Try to play out the session. Because only a set batsman can be successful (on such tracks), at that time he is your Bradman”.
“But it seems they wait· and think· that there is still Virat Kohli to come, Rishabh Pant too, also KL Rahul and Sarfaraz (Khan); but on these tracks, the one who is set is the big· player”, Basit Ali concluded.
