Former England spinner Monty Panesar has suggested that Gautam Gambhir should step down as India’s head coach in Test cricket following the team’s disappointing performances in their recent series. Panesar pointed out Gambhir’s underwhelming record in countries like Australia and England, as well as his previous playing history with several current players, as factors contributing to his struggles as a coach. Panesar believes Gambhir would be more suited to coaching India’s white-ball teams.

India’s recent results under Gambhir have been poor, with the team losing back-to-back series against New Zealand (at home) and Australia (away). In fact, India have suffered six losses in their last eight Test matches, despite a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh, a team with a much lower ranking. Panesar, in an interview with The Times of India, agreed that India might benefit from having separate coaches for their red-ball and white-ball team

“I believe that’s a solid suggestion. The workload might be too demanding for Gambhir at this point, especially since he’s still relatively new to coaching. For some of the senior players, it might be challenging to adjust, as they may think, ‘I played alongside him not long ago, and now he’s directing us on how to approach the game.’ That shift can be tough for both sides.”

He also mentioned, “Moreover, his batting performance in both Australia and England has been below average. Gambhir averages just 23 in Australia, and his performance in England hasn’t been much better. He struggled with the moving ball in both conditions”

Panesar suggested that India could consider bringing in someone like VVS Laxman, who has been successful in various conditions and is currently the Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy. Laxman’s experience and stature as a cricketer would likely command greater respect from players, Panesar argued.

“I believe India needs a legendary cricketer who has excelled in all conditions to take on the coaching role, as that kind of experience naturally earns respect. The selectors might be questioning whether Gambhir is fully committed to coaching, or if it would be better for him to focus on ODIs and T20s. Perhaps someone like VVS Laxman could be brought in as the Test coach, or even as a batting coach to assist Gambhir,” said Panesar.

As Gambhir prepares for India’s next white-ball series against England and the upcoming Champions Trophy, Panesar believes the Indian team may need a more accomplished figure at the helm for their red-ball campaigns.

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