IND vs SA 2nd Test: Suresh Raina backs Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir

Suresh Raina (Pic: File Pic)

Former cricketer Suresh Raina has backed Team India's incumbent head coach Gautam Gambhir, stating that the 44-year-old cannot be held responsible for the side's poor run in the longest format of the game.

Speaking about Gambhir, Raina told PTI Videos, "Gauti bhaiya (Gautam Gambhir) has worked really hard and he is not at all at fault. The players have to work really hard and play well. Under him we have been doing great in the white-ball format where we just won the ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup in Dubai earlier this year".

He also stated that a coach can only guide and provide support, but the players have to deliver performances to secure a win in the match.

"The players have to score, the coach can only guide, advise and give support to the players," added Raina.

Further speaking more on Gambhir, the Uttar Pradesh-born former cricketer said that a coach is applauded when the team does well, but should not be sacked because of the team's performance.

"If they (the players) are facing any issues, they must be communicating to the coach that this is the issue. If the players do well then the coach will be also applauded. But if the team is not doing well, it should not be that the coach should be sacked from his post," said the 38-year-old former cricketer.

"I have played with Gautam bhaiya, he loves Indian cricket team, he loves cricket, I have played and won the World Cup with him. So, he has done really well for the country and it is the players' responsibility to do well," said Raina.

Currently, Team India has locked horns with South Africa in the second Test match at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati.

Earlier, India, after being shockingly whitewashed at home by New Zealand last year, is staring at another disastrous outcome in the ongoing series against South Africa, having lost the opening game of the two-match series.

After the Test series, the hosts will engage in the white-ball series against the Proteas. The white-ball series will see two teams clashing against each other in three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and five T20 Internationals (T20Is).

(With PTI Inputs)