Kris Srikkanth On Gautam Gambhir: After India's recent Test struggles, head coach Gautam Gambhir, naturally, found himself at the centre of a lot of the criticism. However, even as India lead Sri Lanka 1-0 and continue dominating in the second and final fixture of the series, former World Cup winner, Krisnamachari Srikkanth, has had some harsh words for him. He believes the current series does not provide a particularly demanding test for the Indian side, stating that Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (who India beat in June) were not challenging enough.

Srikkanth Questions Gambhir’s Approach

Srikkanth, as quoted by Sportskeeda, was particularly critical of any potential suggestion that Devdutt Padikkal could be left out after his impressive showing in the first Test.

"Gambhir has no work. How can you replace Padikkal going forward with the 200-plus runs he has scored in the first Test? Gambhir just says something, and anyway he has no work in the Sri Lankan series because Sri Lanka is a bad side and India will surely win."

The former India opener then delivered another pointed remark about Gambhir’s likely reaction to victories against teams he considers less challenging.

"He'll jump after winning against sides like Sri Lanka and Afghanistan," he added.

Srikkanth’s comments come at a time when India are looking to rebuild their Test side after a difficult period. Big names like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired from the format and ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah is unavailable.

The team’s performances have placed greater attention on the coaching staff, selection decisions and the long-term direction of the red-ball setup.

Praise For Gambhir Amid Harsh Words

Despite his criticism, Srikkanth made it clear that his assessment was not intended as a dismissal of Gautam Gambhir’s abilities.

The former India batsman acknowledged Gambhir’s qualities as a cricketer and praised his understanding of the game, while suggesting that communication could be an area where the coach can improve.

"I am not trying to be harsh on Gambhir. He was a good player and is a good reader of the game. But he can be a bit more communicative. He was very effective as a player, though."

With India continuing their Sri Lanka assignment, the spotlight remains firmly on the head coach and his decisions as the team looks to establish greater consistency in the longest format.