Gautam Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as head coach in July 2024 but the first phase of his tenure has been tough. India lost the ODI series against Sri Lanka and the Test assignments against New Zealand and Australia. The top batters are struggling and the coach has failed to resolve their technical flaws. He is under pressure, with some former players blaming him for the below-par performances.

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik feels that situation is not going to get easy for Gautam Gambhir as he will face tough challenges in the next few months. However, he wants more time for the head of the support staff.

There are reports of unrest in the dressing room, with captain and coach not taking to each other.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik said, “He deserves time as it is tough to replace a successful coach. Rahul Dravid led the team to new heights and it is not easy to fill those shoes.”

Gambhir has tasted success in T20Is but the situation is different in the fifty-over format and Test cricket.

“He has been able to leave a mark on young players in T20 cricket. The team has performed well under Gambhir’s coaching. But he has found going tough in Test cricket,” he added.

“Affer the series against Bangladesh, things haven’t been smooth for him,” he mentioned.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had a below-par series in Australia and Gambhir wants the two to make decisions about their future in international cricket.

“Is Gautam Gambhir happy with players? Is he able to convince them? Are they listening to him? If not, Gambhir will have to find ways to get things going. Test cricket has been hard for him,” he concluded.