Gautam Gambhir’s stint as India’s head coach has produced some impressive results, but former cricketer Wasim Jaffer believes the handling of a few senior players could have been better. Jaffer has specifically highlighted Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami while assessing Gambhir’s decisions in white-ball cricket.
India have won two major ICC trophies under Gambhir, claiming the Champions Trophy in 2025 and the T20 World Cup in 2026. Despite that success, the team endured two major setbacks in Test cricket after suffering home series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa.
Jaffer feels those Test losses will remain the biggest low points of Gambhir’s tenure. He also suggested that some of the decisions involving experienced players in limited-overs cricket deserved a different approach.
Suryakumar Yadav was one of the players mentioned by Jaffer. He questioned the decision to drop the batter after India’s T20 World Cup victory and said Suryakumar could have received better treatment. Jaffer also named Mohammed Shami as another senior player whose handling could have been improved.
At the same time, Jaffer made it clear that he does not believe Gambhir should be held responsible for India’s overall white-ball performances. His concerns are mainly focused on individual player management and the team’s Test struggles.
The former India cricketer described the home defeats against New Zealand and South Africa as a major blemish on Gambhir’s record. He noted that India’s home advantage had traditionally made such series defeats uncommon and that losing both series was a significant setback.
Jaffer also pointed out that winning those Test series could have placed India much higher in the World Test Championship standings. He believes both Gambhir and the players have significant areas to improve in the longest format.
India are currently focused on their next challenge under Shubman Gill. The team are facing Sri Lanka in a two-Test series and lead 1-0. With the second Test currently being played, India are fifth in the WTC standings and can move to fourth with a victory.
