India’s narrow 22-run defeat at Lord’s saw them fall behind 1-2 in the five-match series. Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, the team fought hard but once again faltered on the final day, despite a valiant effort from Ravindra Jadeja.
Tiwary Criticises Over-Reliance on All-Rounders
Tiwary was critical of Gambhir’s preference for all-rounders over specialist players in the Test format. “I have said earlier as well that Test cricket is a game of specialists, but we are sidelining them and trusting all-rounders more,” Tiwary told IANS.
He pointed out a pattern of dropping players after underperforming and bringing in fresh faces from outside the squad.
“Since Gambhir became head coach, we’ve seen frequent changes. In the India-New Zealand series, Washington Sundar was brought in from outside over Ashwin, who was already in the squad. On the Australia tour, Devdutt Padikkal and Harshit Rana played, but now Harshit is missing and we are playing Anshul Kamboj in this Test,” Tiwary added.
Concerns Over Instability and Frequent Changes
The former Indian batter believes that the constant chopping and changing have created instability in the squad.
“There is no stability, and Gambhir seems unable to trust players for a long duration. His thinking of relying on part-time all-rounders to win Test matches is not practical. Players with experience know that Test matches demand specialists,” Tiwary remarked.
Tactical Missteps and Missed Opportunities
Tiwary also criticised the team’s decision-making, particularly the omission of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who he believes could have troubled England’s batters.
“Kuldeep Yadav should have played in this match and the last match. Wrist-spinners have always succeeded against England because their batters struggle to pick them,” he said.
He further pointed out that inconsistent performances from India’s top order, including Sai Sudharsan, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who failed to convert starts beyond 50-60 runs, also hurt the team’s chances.
India’s Recent Test Decline
Since Gambhir was appointed head coach in July 2024, India’s performance in the longest format has dipped. In 13 matches, the team has registered just four wins, eight defeats, and one draw, slipping from No.1 to No.4 in the ICC Test rankings. They also failed to qualify for the World Test Championship 2025 final after a disappointing series loss in Australia.
Gambhir’s Stature and Coaching Challenge
Gautam Gambhir, one of India’s most celebrated batters between 2008 and 2011, scored over 10,000 international runs and played crucial innings in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup final victories. As a leader, he inspired Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL titles as captain and another as mentor. However, his tenure as India’s head coach has come under the scanner amid mounting criticism and inconsistent results.