India’s poor run in the recent T20I series has drawn criticism, and former South Africa captain AB de Villiers believes both the players and head coach Gautam Gambhir have an important role to play in turning things around.
India lost the T20I series 2-0 to Ireland and 4-0 to England, raising questions over the team’s performance and Gambhir’s coaching decisions. His selection choices, including the frequent changes between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson, as well as his continued backing of Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma, came under scrutiny. However, AB de Villiers said the responsibility should not fall on the coach alone.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers said Gautam Gambhir must take charge and lead the team forward but also stressed that players who dominated the IPL need to understand that international cricket is a completely different challenge. He asked Gambhir to ensure that all the IPL stars are brought down to earth. He explained that unlike the IPL where batters can often target one or two weaker bowlers, international cricket offers very few easy opportunities. According to him, players must adapt their game and avoid relying only on aggressive batting.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who made his international debut on the tour, entered the series after a record-breaking IPL season. He scored 776 runs, finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer and became the youngest player to win the Most Valuable Player award. However, in the three T20Is he played against England, he failed to score more than 15 runs. Despite playing a more attacking brand of cricket than many of his teammates, he was not picked for the fourth match.
AB de Villiers also urged fans to be patient with the current Indian team. He pointed out that replacing experienced stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20Is in 2024, is never easy. He also noted that fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is often rested during bilateral series to manage his workload.
Reflecting on India’s performance, AB de Villiers admitted he did not expect the team to lose 4-0 to England but said the lack of experience was evident throughout the series. He added that while Gambhir’s leadership is important, rebuilding a team after the departure of world-class players takes time. He also felt India lacked a clear game plan in several matches and needed to be more consistent.
Do you agree with AB de Villiers?
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