IND v SA 2025: ‘Generally emotional coach not a good thing to have’- AB de Villiers shares thoughts on criticism of Gautam Gambhir

India hasn't done well in Tests under Gautam Gambhir's tenure as head coach.

Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has shared his thoughts on the heavy criticism of Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir after the side suffered a 0-2 whitewash in the recent Test series against South Africa at home.

This is India's second whitewash in a Test series at home under Gambhir’s guidance, following a crushing defeat in New Zealand the previous year.

The current failure has elicited severe criticism from several former cricketers and analysts, the most dramatic and thought-provoking being AB de Villiers' assessment of Gambhir's leadership style.

De Villiers provided a frank and layered assessment of Gambhir, balancing worry and perspective. Drawing on his years of playing against Gambhir, the South African legend said that emotions could be at the root of India's current coaching dispute.

“I don't know what GG is like when it comes to leadership. I've known him as an emotional player, and if that is the case in the change room, generally an emotional coach is not a good thing to have,” De Villiers said while conversing with R Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

The comment immediately caused a stir in the cricket community, raising concerns about whether Gambhir's intensity, which was once his strongest suit, is now working against him in an increasingly uneasy dressing room.

De Villiers didn't stop at criticism, either. He also made it very evident that there is no set recipe for becoming a successful coach.

“It's not to say he's that kind of a coach behind the scenes. There's no right and wrong. Some players feel comfortable with a former player, some with someone who's never played but has years of coaching experience,” he added.

He also acknowledged that it was challenging to accurately assess the internal dynamics because he had never worked closely with Ryan ten Doeschate, Morne Morkel, or Gambhir inside the Indian system.

However, he made a stark contrast by praising Shukri Conrad, the current head coach of South Africa, for bringing peace and clarity back to the country.

“I absolutely loved playing under Gary Kirsten; he's a former player and similar to Gautam Gambhir. Some players find confidence with a former great being there—someone who inspires you to put in extra yards,” De Villiers added.

India has slipped to fifth spot in the World Test Championship (WTC 2027) points table, with four wins and four losses in nine tests played thus far.