India Vs South Africa: Sitanshu Kotak Backs Gautam Gambhir, Says Criticism Driven By ‘Vested Interests’

India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak is livid with the criticism that has been directed towards head coach Gautam Gambhir after India's defeat to South Africa in the opening Test and he feels some of it is by people with vested interests.

The 30-run defeat in Kolkata was India's fourth Test loss at home in the last one year under Gambhir's stewardship.

"'Gautam Gambhir, Gautam Gambhir' (criticism) is being done. I am saying this because I am a staff and I feel bad. That's not the way," Kotak said on Thursday ahead of the second Test starting on Saturday.

He said the criticism is sometimes agenda-driven.

"Maybe some people individually have agendas. Good luck to them, but it is very bad," the former Saurashtra left hander said.

Gambhir has drawn flak for defending the pitch used for the opening Test in Kolkata where India lost despite being in pursuit of a rather modest 124. The head coach had criticised his batters for not being able to adapt.

The rank turner, on which spinners did the most damage, ensured that the game ended inside three days and Gambhir went on to insist that the surface was exactly what the team management had asked for.

The statement was in complete contrast to skipper Shubman Gill's assertion a few weeks ago that his team was looking towards playing on more sporting surfaces at home.

"What about players?" What surprised Kotak was people not questioning anyone other than Gambhir.

"No one is saying that this batsman did this, this bowler did that, or we can do something different in batting," Kotak said referring to the batting collapse that led to the rather embarrassing loss.

Kotak lauded Gambhir for admitting upfront that he wanted such a wicket and the curator did his best to ensure that team's requests were accommodated.

"See, in the last match wicket, Gautam said that he took all the blame on himself. He said that he took the blame because he felt that he should not put the blame on the curators," he said.

Approach and technique

While admitting that South Africa were a better side on the same track that was available for both teams, Kotak also pointed out the aspects in which the hosts came second best.

"When a batsman is going into batting, if we tell him to play aggressive, if we tell him to run fast, that won't be right. So, we talk to the players that you make a plan, take your little time," he explained.

"It's not like if you go around with the first ball, you will get hit. That is also visible. When a person plays aggressive, that is also visible. But, you take your own time.

"Every player has a certain time. He starts feeling comfortable. I feel on such wickets, you rather play busy cricket than defensive cricket with the correct footwork," Kotak, who was a good player of spinners in the domestic circuit, said.

How T20s changed Test match technique

Kotak feels a shift in mindset and technique has happened in the last 15 years with more T20s being played. The fundamental difference in playing spin in Tests and T20Is is for traditional format you need strong footwork and for T20Is, one requires solid hands.

"Now, we have a lot of players in the world, who adapt all three formats well. But the technique of playing all three formats is different. In Test match, you rely a lot on footwork. In T20s, and in power hitting, you focus a lot on creating an early base. So, there will be no footwork in creating an early base."