Kapil Dev Shared His Philosophy as Captain Was to Support Players Going Through a Lean Phase

Advertisment

Cricket legend Kapil Dev has stirred debate around the role of a modern-day head coach. He claimed Gautam Gambhir cannot be called a coach and is only a manager. His remarks have divided fans and experts, raising fresh questions about leadership in Team India.

Kapil Dev framed the discussion around how the meaning of coaching itself has evolved in modern cricket.

Kapil Dev’s Remarks on Gambhir’s Coaching

Speaking at the Indian Chamber of Commerce ICC Centenary Session, the Indian Allrounder argued that “Today that word called a coach… ‘coach’ is a very common word today. Gautam Gambhir can’t be a coach. He can be a manager of the team.”

Advertisment

Kapil Dev added, “When you say coach, coach is where I learn in the school and college. Those were the people, my coach there. They can manage me.”

Kapil also questioned the practicality of a head coach providing technical guidance to highly specialised players. “How can you be a coach when they have given a name to let’s say anybody a leg spinner? How can Gautam can be a coach to a leg spinner or to the wicket-keeper?” he asked.

Kapil Dev believes that the job is about man-management and motivation. “I think you have to manage. That’s more important. As a manager, you give them encouragement to say you can do it because when you become a manager, the young boys look up to you,” he added.

Advertisment

Kapil Defines Responsibilities of a Coach

The World Cup-winning captain underlined that creating a sense of comfort within the group is central to leadership. “How can my manager or captain give me that comfort, and that’s what the manager and captain’s job is — to give comfort to the team and always say ‘you can do better’. That’s the way I look at it.”

Kapil said his focus was often on players struggling for form rather than those enjoying success. “I think you have to give comfort to the people who are not playing well. If somebody made a hundred, I don’t want to have a drink and dinner with him,” he said.

“There are a lot of people there… As a captain, I would like to have a drink with people, or I like to have a dinner with people who are not performing,” Kapil added, explaining how such gestures help rebuild confidence.

Advertisment

Emphasising the broader responsibilities of leadership, he concluded, “You need to give them the confidence, and that’s what happens. So I think it’s very important as a captain and your role is not only your performance, it is also about putting the team together.”

Final Thoughts

Gambhir has two critical assignments to address the critics with the upcoming T20I (2026) and ODI World Cup (2027). India lost two test series on home soil within a year under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir. However, he has led the team to win the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup in the same year. Critics are continuing to question Gambhir’s experimentations, frequent player rotation, and dependence on part-time options.