Gary Kirsten raises concerns about Gautam Gambhir’s suitability as India head coach

Former India head coach Gary Kirsten on Sunday raised questions about Gautam Gambhir’s coaching style and whether it resonates with the current generation of Indian cricketers.

Speaking to the Indian media ahead of the fourth Test against England, Kirsten acknowledged Gambhir’s leadership credentials and IPL success but admitted uncertainty about how well his personality and approach translate to coaching a national side filled with diverse personalities.

“I don’t know Gautam Gambhir, the coach, at all. Gautam, the player, I absolutely loved. He’s got a toughness to him that is very useful. I think he’s really strong," he added.

Kirsten reflected on the leadership qualities Gambhir displayed during his playing career. 

"He’s got a personality and he’s got a style. The big thing is does that personality and style connect with Indian players? That’s really what it’s going to be about,” Kirsten said.

He recalled an instance when Gambhir was given ODI captaincy ahead of a tour of South Africa.

“He’s had success in the IPL. I remember when we split the one-day and Test teams and made him the one-day captain against New Zealand before the South Africa tour. He did a fantastic job,” Kirsten said.

Gambhir’s early tenure as head coach has already witnessed both highs and lows. India suffered a disappointing loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in January 2025 but bounced back strongly to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, just months after their T20 World Cup triumph in 2024.

On the ongoing tour of England for a five-Test series, England currently leads 2-1, with the fourth Test set to begin on Wednesday in Manchester.

Shubman Gill is captaining the side following Rohit Sharma’s sudden retirement from Test cricket ahead of the tour.