Gautam Gambhir’s stint as the Head Coach of Team India has begun on a challenging note. Despite a promising start with a T20I series win, India suffered a 0-2 defeat in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. This was followed by a home whitewash by New Zealand and a 1-3 loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. For the first time since the World Test Championship’s (WTC) inception, India has failed to secure a spot in the final, raising concerns about the team’s performance in the red-ball format.

Former England spinner Monty Panesar has weighed in on the growing uncertainties surrounding India’s Test cricket fortunes. He suggested a two-coach strategy to address the team’s challenges, advocating for former India batter VVS Laxman to take charge of the Test team, while Gambhir focuses on ODIs and T20Is.

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“I think the selectors might be wondering, ‘Is Gambhir fully committed as a coach? Should he concentrate on ODIs and T20Is, and perhaps let someone like VVS Laxman handle the Test side?’” Monty Panesar told News18. He added, “Or even bring Laxman in as a batting coach to assist Gambhir. Laxman, like Rahul Dravid, has excelled in all conditions and naturally commands respect.”

Panesar emphasized Laxman’s ability to impart critical technical advice, saying, “If Laxman tells a player, ‘Don’t play on the up when the ball is swinging,’ they’ll listen. With Gambhir, I’m not sure if players take him as seriously or if they’re simply sticking to their natural game.”

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It’s worth noting that Laxman has previously stepped in as Head Coach whenever Rahul Dravid took a break. He also filled in when Gambhir opted out during India’s T20I series in South Africa. This experience, coupled with his red-ball expertise, makes Laxman a strong candidate to bolster India’s Test performance.