‘Take a chill pill…’: Former Indian cricketer suggested Gautam Gambhir to make things easier for the team

According to former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, despite some questionable tactical decisions by the head coach during the fourth Test against England, India earned a commendable draw. It may be necessary for Gautam Gambhir to relax a bit — or even take a chill pill, he suggested.

Even with Sunday’s gritty draw, India trail 1-2 in the series with only one test remaining. Former left-hander Manjrekar said the former lefty has not been tactically sharp in the red-ball format.

“I feel India has done well despite some of his (Gambhir) tactical decisions. Let’s not forget: India lost 3-0 at home (to) New Zealand, lost comfortably to Australia (away). The fight we’ve seen in this team? That’s down to the players. Because tactically, Gambhir hasn’t always made things easier – especially with some of his selections,” Manjrekar said.

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He also advised the passionate coach to stop looking at all opposing opinions as baseless criticism, following his sharp response to those highlighting the lack of cricketing insight of captain Shubman Gill.

“There was never any doubt about Shubman Gill’s talent. If someone had doubts, they probably don’t understand cricket. Some players take time to settle in international cricket. In this dressing room, no one is surprised by what he’s done on this tour,” Gambhir said at the post-match press conference,” Gambhir said at the post-match press conference.

“Even if he hadn’t performed the way he did, we would still have had complete faith in his talent. What matters is that he’s living up to his expectations and potential. More importantly, the so-called pressure of captaincy doesn’t seem to affect him when he bats; he plays as a batsman, not as a captain,” he added.

A veteran of 37 Tests, Manjrekar is known for voicing his views on Indian cricket, even when they are contrary to popular perception.

He shared his candid views on JioHostar after listening to Gambhir’s press conference.

“Yeah, you can tell there are certain questions that get under his skin – especially when people question Gill as a young captain and batter. And honestly, those are valid doubts. Even people who deeply understand cricket wonder whether this was the right time to hand him that opportunity. I just hope we can all understand this better,” Sanjay Manjrekar said.

Several recently retired stars, the current head coach, and a few senior players have referred to “outside noise” as a term they use to dismiss criticism from outside the dressing room.

“It’s not about ‘you guys think’ and ‘we think’ – we’re all part of the same industry and the same country. I’d just like to see him take a chill pill, relax a bit, and be open to tough questions. Whether that will happen, I’m not sure,” said Manjrekar.

Sanjay Manjrekar also dismissed Gambhir’s claim that Karun Nair wasn’t dropped due to poor form, but rather that the team had simply selected the best eleven.

“And to suggest that Karun Nair ‘wasn’t dropped’… come on. You guys see it as a drop; for them, it’s about ‘picking the right team’. If someone is dropped, he is dropped,” he added.