IND vs SA: India's current head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has been subjected to immense criticism from fans and experts, who have expressed reservations about his coaching style. The criticism finds weight from the fact that India have suffered two whitewashes in Test series at home. Often termed invincible at home, whitewashes against New Zealand, followed by South Africa, have recently dented India's chances of reaching the final of the World Test Championship in 2027.

Reflecting on Gambhir's coaching style, former India captain Kapil Dev stated that modern-day head coaches' role is more about "managing" players than actually coaching them.

Gambhir's constant batting order chance in the T20I format and reliance on part-timers have also been slammed.

"Today that word called a coach... 'coach' is a very common word today. Gautam Gambhir can't be a coach. He can be a manager of the team," Kapil said at the Indian Chamber of Commerce ICC Centenary Session.

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"When you say coach, coach is where I learn in the school and college. Those were the people, my coach there. They can manage me," he added.

Kapil said, "How can you be a coach when they have given a name to let's say anybody a leg spinner? How can Gautam can be a coach to a leg spinner or to the wicket-keeper?"

"I think you have to manage. That's more important. As a manager you give them encouragement to say you can do it because when you become a manager the young boys look up to you," he said.

"How can my manager or captain can give me that comfort and that's what the manager and captain's job is -- to give comfort to the team and always say 'you can do better'. That's the way I look at it."

Kapil said his own philosophy as captain was to back players going through a lean phase.

"I think you have to give comfort to the people who are not playing well. If somebody made a hundred I don't want to have a drink and dinner with him," he said.

"There are a lot of people there... As a captain I would like to have a drink with people or I like to have a dinner with people who are not performing.

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"You need to give them the confidence and that's what happens. So I think it's very important as a captain and your role is not only your performance, it is also about putting the team together."

India will play their next T20I match against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Inputs from Agency