Testing times for Gambhir

Guwahati: India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak is livid with the criticism that has been directed towards head coach Gautam Gambhir after India’s defeat to South Africa in the opening Test and he feels some of it is by people with vested interests.

The 30-run defeat in Kolkata was India’s fourth Test loss at home in the last one year under Gambhir’s stewardship.

“’Gautam Gambhir, Gautam Gambhir’ (criticism) is being done. I am saying this because I am a staff and I feel bad. That’s not the way,” Kotak said on Thursday ahead of the second Test starting on Saturday.

He said the criticism is sometimes agenda-driven. “Maybe some people individually have agendas. Good luck to them, but it is very bad,” the former Saurashtra left hander said.

Gambhir has drawn flak for defending the pitch used for the opening Test in Kolkata where India lost despite being in pursuit of a rather modest 124. The head coach had criticised his batters for not being able to adapt.

The rank turner, on which spinners did the most damage, ensured that the game ended inside three days and Gambhir went on to insist that the surface was exactly what the team management had asked for.

The statement was in complete contrast to skipper Shubman Gill’s assertion a few weeks ago that his team was looking towards playing on more sporting surfaces at home.

What surprised Kotak was people not questioning anyone other than Gambhir. “No one is saying that this batsman did this, this bowler did that, or we can do something different in batting,” Kotak said referring to the batting collapse that led to the rather embarrassing loss.In this backdrop, Gill, known to train even on optional days, might just want to be fit enough to bat, as even a half-fit skipper is seen as more effective than Sudharsan, Easwaran or Sarfaraz.

Kotak lauded Gambhir for admitting upfront that he wanted such a wicket and the curator did his best to ensure that team’s requests were accommodated. “See, in the last match wicket, Gautam said that he took all the blame on himself. He said that he took the blame because he felt that he should not put the blame on the curators,” he said.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s bowling coach Piet Botha feels the wicket at the Barsapara Stadium will be much better for batting but he is interested in knowing if the Indian curators will be shaving off the liberal covering of grass from

the red soil track.