Kapil Dev, the captain of India’s 1983 World Cup–winning team, has raised an objection to the way the term coach is used in modern sports. Speaking at an event in Kolkata marking the 100th anniversary of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Kapil Dev said that the person currently appointed by Team India should be called a manager rather than a coach. He stated bluntly, “Gautam Gambhir is not a coach, he is a manager.”
According to the legendary Indian cricketer, the current head coach of Team India, Gautam Gambhir, does not fit the true definition of a coach. At present, along with Gambhir, the Indian cricket team has separate batting, bowling, and fielding coaches. A similar structure can also be seen in the Indian football team.
On this issue, Kapil Dev said that the word coach has now become very loosely used. In its true sense, a coach is someone who teaches. Explaining his point, Kapil said that at the school or college level, a coach is necessary because players are still learning. But at the national level, Gautam Gambhir will not be teaching someone how to bowl spin or how to keep wickets. His main responsibility is to manage the team.
According to Kapil Dev, the role of a manager is to keep the players comfortable so that they can perform at their best. Since Gautam Gambhir took charge as Team India’s coach, there has been widespread discussion about his plans, especially in Test cricket. Due to frequent changes in the batting order and heavy reliance on young players, criticism has grown that India’s Test team is not getting the expected results.
When asked about this, Kapil Dev chose not to comment. He said that he watches cricket like an ordinary spectator. The BCCI does not call him, nor does he get paid for it, so it is not possible for him to closely observe what happens inside the team.
