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Tim Paine expressed concern about India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s recent comments about Ricky Ponting’s opinions.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir. (Picture Credit: PTI)
Indian men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir had lashed out publicly at Ricky Ponting for his comments ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine though expressed concern, saying the biggest issue for the Indian team in Australia could be his inability to remain calm under pressure.
Ponting had said that he was concerned about Virat Kohli’s form – of scoring two Test hundreds in the last five years. At the pre-departure press conference Gambhir shot back: ‘What does Ponting have to do with Indian cricket? He should be talking about Australia’. Ponting responded to Gambhir’s reply by calling him a ‘prickly customer’.
“I don’t love it. It’s not a good sign I think, because all he was asked was a very simple question. I think he’s maybe looking at Ricky still as someone he’s playing against, but Ricky is a commentator now – he’s paid to give an opinion, and his opinion was spot on,” Paine was quoted as saying on SEN Radio.
“Virat has been sliding, it is a concern, absolutely. But for me now, the biggest concern for India right now isn’t Rohit Sharma’s batting, isn’t Virat Kohli’s batting, it’s their coach and his ability to stay calm under pressure,” he added.
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The first of five Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests between Australia and India begins in Perth on November 22, followed by matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. Paine also thinks former head coach Ravi Shastri, who was at the helm of India’s twin Test series wins in Australia, offered his side a bundle of energy through his light-hearted nature, something which he feels isn’t in Gambhir.
“Their last two series wins out here they had Ravi Shastri who was fantastic. He created a great environment, the players were energised, they played with passion, he sold them the dream and motivated them in a really light-hearted enjoyable way,” Paine said.
“They have gone to a new coach now that is really prickly, really competitive – and that not to say that’s not a good thing and a good way to coach – but my concern is that it’s not a great fit for the Indian cricket team.”
“If your coach is the first one to crack in a press conference after being asked a simple question, it could be a really long summer for Gautam Gambhir if India don’t get off to a good start on Perth,” he added.
(With inputs from Agencies)
