Former Indian cricketer turned commentator Mohammad Kaif said that current head coach Gautam Gambhir is the best possible candidate to address the ongoing batting crisis against spin bowling, especially in Test cricket. Team India struggled heavily against South African spinners at home last year, but showed promise in the recently held tour of Sri Lanka as well.

“If he has identified a player, and has made up his mind about playing him, then he will back that player right till the very end. Even when he was Ranji captain, he backed a lot of young players. Even when the entire DDCA was against him, he used to say that he is the captain and he will play that player. There are so many players like this,” Mohammad Kaif said on Cricbuzz.

READ HERE: “He is not here for the milestones” – Hanuma Vihari on Virat Kohli

“Even if he is wrong or right, and you can debate about that all you want, on whether he is a nice guy or who he is, including or not including. That is a different topic, but if he has made up his mind about a player, that player will be backed. The way our batters are getting out to spin in Test cricket these days, there is no one better than Gautam who can guide these youngsters,” he further added.

A recent example of the head coach Gautam Gambhir defending his players came after India failed to defend a 250-run target in the second T20I against West Indies in Ranchi as well.

“These bowlers are our bowlers, not someone else’s bowlers. Their careers are at stake, they have worked hard to sit in this dressing room. If it’s an even competition, we’ll see a better game of cricket,” Gambhir said during the post-match press conference (via Cricinfo).