new delhi: Former India batter Suresh Raina has backed under-fire national head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying the team’s recent poor run in home Tests cannot be attributed to the support staff as players must shoulder responsibility for the results.
India, after being shockingly whitewashed at home by New Zealand last year, are staring at another disastrous outcome in the ongoing series against South Africa, having lost the opening game of the two-match series.
“Gauti bhaiya (Gautam Gambhir) has worked really hard and he is not at all at fault. The players have to work really hard and play well. Under him we have been doing great in the white-ball format where we just won the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup in Dubai earlier this year,” Raina said.
“The players have to score, the coach can only guide, advise and give support to the players,” he said on the sidelines of the Indian Softball Cricket League’s jersey launch here. He was unveiled as the event’s brand ambassador
Raina dismissed suggestions that Gambhir’s future as head coach is at risk due to the recent poor home Test record.
“If they (the players) are facing any issues, they must be communicating to the coach that this is the issue. If the players do well then the coach will be also applauded. But if the team is not doing well, it should not be that the coach should be sacked from his post,” he said.
“I have played and won the World Cup with him. So, he has done really well for the country and it is the players’ responsibility to do well,” he added.
On the criticism of India’s selection calls in the ongoing series, Raina said: “They should play domestic cricket regularly and do well there, if they do well that will automatically reflect in their performances at the international
level.”