‘Sab darr ke khel rahe hain’: Gambhir accused of breeding 'fear, confusion', with Sarfaraz fallout in focus
Mohammad Kaif claimed that head coach Gautam Gambhir’s approach has left several Indian players gripped by “fear and confusion”
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif ignited a fresh storm in the wake of India's defeat in Kolkata on Sunday in the opening game of the Test series against South Africa, claiming that head coach Gautam Gambhir’s approach has left several players gripped by “fear and confusion”, ultimately hurting the team’s progress in home conditions.
On a tough Eden Gardens track, and with injured Shubman Gill unavailable for the fourth innings, India’s batting line-up folded for just 93 runs while chasing 124, handing South Africa a 30-run win and a 1-0 lead in the series.
But more than the defeat, Kaif took aim at India’s approach, questioning the call to drop Sai Sudharsan, despite his 87 in the previous Test, for Washington Sundar at No. 3. And although Sundar fought hard in the final innings, Kaif felt the move only deepened the instability in a dressing room where batters are being shuffled too often under Gambhir.
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“Whichever players are playing, they don’t have a feeling that someone is standing for them. Koi backing nahi hai, sab darr ke khel rahe hain. (There is no backing; everyone is playing with fear.) Sab dar ke khel rahe hain, koi khul ke nahi khel raha (Everyone is playing in fear, nobody is playing with freedom)," he said speaking on his YouTube channel.
Kaif further pointed out that Sarfaraz Khan had suffered a similar fate to Sudharsan, where he was dropped despite scoring a ton in his last series for India, and eventually fell out of reckoning for a spot in the Test squad.
“If Sarfaraz Khan’s place is not confirmed after 100 scoring a hundred. Even after scoring 100, he’s not able to make a comeback. Sai Sudharsan scored 87. He doesn’t play the next Test match. I think there is a lot of confusion in this team.”
The veteran batter further claimed that with players already feeling insecure about their batting positions, the team management's decision to opt for turners is making them feel even more nervous.
“Players ko apne pe belief kam ho gaya hai, thoda insecurity bhi aa gyi hai (Players are not believing in themselves, there is insecurity as well). When there is insecurity and you come to play at turning tracks, you won’t be able to do well,” he added.
Earlier on Sunday, while Gambhir mounted a strong defence of the Eden Gardens pitch and praised Sundar’s batting, Kaif argued that the all-rounder’s success stemmed from his experience of playing on turning tracks in Chennai. He pointed out that Sai Sudharsan, who also hails from Tamil Nadu, could have been an equally effective option against the South African spin attack.
“Why did Sundar play well? He comes from Chennai. He has grown by playing on turning tracks. He knows how to use his feet and which balls to play with soft hands. How to keep the bottom hand.”
“Sai Sudharsan also comes from Chennai. If he were there at No. 3 and Sundar at No. 8, you would have won this Test match. He plays spin very well. Sudharsan comes from Chennai. He’s in form and scored 87. He’s not there in the playing XI,” Kaif added.
