'If they are working against each other, everyone suffers' – Robin Uthappa's massive remark on Gautam Gambhir’s coaching setup after New Zealand loss

Former India batter Robin Uthappa has offered his take on the Indian team’s coaching structure under head coach Gautam Gambhir, following India’s ODI series defeat to New Zealand.

India went down by 41 runs in the third ODI in Indore on Sunday, January 18, resulting in a 2-1 series loss. The defeat marked New Zealand’s first bilateral ODI series win on Indian soil since 1988, adding to the scrutiny around India’s recent performances across formats.

Uthappa addressed the ongoing debate around having multiple coaches for different formats and acknowledged that while the idea has merit, it comes with significant challenges. He stressed the importance of coordination and clarity within the coaching group.

“It is not an easy call to take. You need them to work in tandem and together. If they are all working against each other, then everyone suffers. To work in cohesion becomes important. Communication lines being open at all time, knowing when someone is going to take the lead and someone takes the backseat, knowing the importance of that. It is possible but it needs to come from a place of building something big,” the former Indian batter said on his YouTube channel.

Uthappa further explained that India’s packed international calendar makes it difficult for a single coach to seamlessly prepare teams across formats. He felt that a split-coaching model could help bring freshness and renewed energy into the setup.

“There are multiple ways to slice a cake. I am very open to having multiple coaches for different formats. India plays a lot of cricket. You feel like the mind also becomes stale when you move from one format to another. Sometimes you are so consumed. You can't really prepare for another format when you are dealing with one at a certain point in time. So you want to have that freshness of mindset and energy as well. From that perspective, I feel it should work,” he reflected.

The former opener also suggested an alternative model, where scouts report to a Director of Cricket, who then works closely with the coaches and administrators to streamline decision-making.

“If you can have scouts and them reporting to a Director of cricket, then the director and coaches are the ones who make the final decision, along with the administrators. I think that is the most productive and constructive way to build teams from here on,” he added.

India’s ODI series loss comes on the back of a challenging period under Gambhir’s tenure, with the team also suffering home Test series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa. While Gambhir has overseen positive transitions in certain areas, recent results have intensified discussions around India’s long-term coaching strategy and team management's approach.