Gautam Gambhir hits back at IPL team owner over split-coaching call: ‘Stay in your domain’

Gautam Gambhir slams IPL team owner for split-coaching suggestion. (Photo: X)

On​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Saturday India head coach Gautam Gambhir openly disagreed with the online talks about the spilt-coaching system which he referred to as “surprising” ideas. He called on the people spreading these ideas to stay “within their domain”.

After India’s 0–2 Test series defeat against South Africa, a number of influential cricketing voices including an IPL franchise owner have suggested that the BCCI should think of appointing separate coaches for red-ball and white-ball teams.

"Look, there were a lot of talks because the results didn't go in our favour (in Test series). But the most surprising thing is that not once did any media or journalist wrote that our first Test match (in Kolkata) was played without the captain (Shubman Gill), who didn't bat in both innings (because of a neck injury)," Gambhir said during the post-match press meet after India clinched the ODI series against SA 2-1.

Gambhir replied to that, saying such commentators should refrain from making statements that are not directly related to field cricket ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌matters.

“Some people also said things that have nothing to do with cricket. An IPL team owner (Parth Jindal of Delhi Capitals on X) also wrote about split coaching."

“So this is surprising. It's very important for people to stay in their domain. Because if we don't go into someone's domain, then they also don't have the right to come into our domain,” Gambhir added.

Coach Gautam Gambhir’s voice got a bit too loud after Rohit and Virat won the series. pic.twitter.com/eYoQMwlji1

  (@rushiii_12) December 6, 2025

Gambhir had also stated his achievements as the red-ball coach in the post-match press conference at Guwahati in what looked like a self-defence mechanism after a series defeat at home.

“I don't give excuses in press conferences. It doesn't mean that you don't show the facts in front of the world or the country. When you go through a transition and when you lose your captain, who is also your main batter in red-ball cricket against such a team (SA)."

"Then obviously the results are difficult because you don't have that much experience in red ball cricket. And the surprising thing is that no one even talked about it. All the discussions about wickets, I don't know what all things were said," he noted. (With PTI inputs)