Amid rumours that the BCCI is mulling over replacing Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir with VVS Laxman, especially in Tests, former England spinner Monty Panesar has suggested that the former India opener should coach a Ranji Trophy team to “understand red-ball cricket” better.
Emphasising that Gambhir is a successful white-ball coach, Panesar said that a stint with a Ranji team would allow him to interact with other coaches and understand how to build and manage a squad in the red-ball format.
"Right now, the Indian team is weak in Test cricket,” the former England cricketer said in an interview with ANI. “This is the reality. It's not that strong. It will take time. When you retire three big players (Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara), it becomes difficult to keep the remaining players ready."
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While the Indian team won the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup under Gambhir recently, it endured humiliating whitewashes at home against New Zealand (0-3) and South Africa (0-2) in the longer format. His contract runs until the end of the 2027 ODI World Cup, but it could come under scrutiny earlier depending on India's performance in the T20 World Cup in February. There are nine Tests remaining in the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, and there are reports that not all in the board are in favour of letting Gambhir be in charge till the end.
Interestingly, Panesar’s comments comes amid reports that the BCCI had once again informally approached former Indian star batter Laxman to coach the Indian team in Tests. However, it is learnt that he has politely declined the offer and indicated that he is happy being the 'Head of Cricket' at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
'Shubman Gill a complacent cricketer'
Panesar was also critical of India's Test captain, Shubman Gill. Terming him a "complacent" cricketer, Panesar said he may not be ready to lead or play in all formats at the international level.
"He is a complacent cricketer. He has a lot of talent, but he starts playing lazy shots. Virat Kohli's intensity and aggression are evident in all formats, but Shubman Gill can't replicate that. It is too much of a burden for him; he can't be the captain across all formats," Panesar said.
Gill was recently left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad.
