“Coach thodi khel raha hai”- Robin Uthappa clarifies his defense of Gautam Gambhir after India’s loss in Kolkata Test

Former India opener Robin Uthappa has issued a clarification over him defending the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir after the Kolkata test debacle. Gambhir was nonchalant when asked about the Eden gardens pitch, on which India was folded for 93 runs, chasing 123 to win and lost by 30 runs.

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Coach Gautam Gambhir received harsh criticism for defending the surface, eliciting varied reactions from experts and fans. The match itself evolved in a haphazard manner, with neither batting unit able to put together meaningful scores. India's pursuit of 124 failed, raising concerns about the terms given. 

Furthermore, Gambhir's post-match statement that there were "no demons" and that the pitch was exactly what he and the team intended only fueled public indignation. Many interpreted it as a failure to address deeper concerns with India's batting against turn on difficult pitches.   

Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa had a different take. While the argument raged online, Uthappa made it obvious that he disagreed with those who blamed Gambhir for the loss. 

Uthappa come forward to defend Gambhir, calling the criticism of the Eden pitch excessive and incorrect. He said that blaming the coach for India's defeat oversimplifies the matter, emphasizing that once players are in the center, their actions on the pitch are solely responsible.

“I saw a comment yesterday suggesting that I was defending GG. Yaar, coach thodi jaake khel raha hai andar (The coach is not playing out there)," Uthappa said on his YouTube channel. 

He emphasized that Gambhir was not to blame for the batting failure. We look at India's bigger issues on turning tracks, a reoccurring issue that extends far beyond one match or one coach. 

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“We are looking at the results and blaming a coach, but you have to look at the overall scenario,” Uthappa added.

India's frequent troubles on sharply twisting railroads indicate a long-standing issue. With the potential available, India should be dominating at home on well-balanced, sporting wickets rather than artificial pitches that level the playing field. Such pitches draw the opposition into the game, taking India away from its strengths.

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