'He speaks the bitter truth': Harbhajan Singh backs Gambhir amid criticism

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has come out in support of head coach Gautam Gambhir, questioning the criticism he has faced following some difficult performances by the Indian team. Harbhajan said Gambhir brings a clear winning mindset to the dressing room.

"Why is Gautam getting so much flak? I have never understood why, when a team doesn't do well, people always tend to blame the coach," he said in a PTI podcast interview.

Under Gambhir, India won the T20 World Cup, the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. However, the Test team suffered crushing defeats against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, with the latter two series ending in home whitewashes.

Consequently, Gambhir's handling of the squad, particularly the Test team, has drawn sharp criticism from fans and experts.

Asked about the man behind Gambhir's combative public persona, Harbhajan recalled him as a passionate cricketer who always put the team first. "The Gautam that I have known was a very passionate player of his time, one who always put the team first," Harbhajan said.

Harbhajan also recalled that Gambhir was an introvert when he first joined the Indian team and took time to settle into the dressing room. "When he first came into the team as a youngster, he would only interact with a select few players and hang out with them. In those days, his friends used to be Viru (Virender Sehwag), Amit Mishra and Munaf Patel. I don't know if he is still friends with them; I guess they still are," he said.

Harbhajan, a member of India's 2011 World Cup-winning team, acknowledged that Gambhir can sometimes come across as difficult because of his straightforward nature.

"He is very straightforward. For many people, Gautam might say bitter things, but what he speaks is the bitter truth. Now, many people can't digest the truth, and perhaps the tone of his comments makes people feel that he is a slightly difficult person," Harbhajan said while defending Gambhir's demeanour.

However, he cautioned against judging Gambhir based on perceptions. "Don't judge a book by its cover. He is a brilliant guy. He has got a good sense of how the game should be played. I know one thing for sure. Now that he is the coach, he will want his team to imbibe just one philosophy, and that is 'Play To Win'," he said.

"He is someone who will not mind a defeat if the intent is to win a match. If a team goes for a draw, probably he won't take it."