Former opener Gautam Gambhir has officially replaced Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. He will begin his stint with the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, starting on July 26.
Gambhir has been roped in by the BCCI with a lot of expectations after he mentored Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the IPL title earlier this year.
One of the biggest challenges for the Gambhir-led Indian coaching staff will be to manage the ageing pace troika that includes Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
While Bumrah and Siraj are still 30, Shami will turn 34 in a couple of months. Hence, it will be imperative to manage their workloads for marquee series and major tournaments going forward.
Bumrah made a successful comeback to the Indian team after undergoing back surgery last year. On the other hand, Shami is still recovering from an ankle surgery he had post the 2023 World Cup.
Meanwhile, former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has said that the new coaching staff, led by Gambhir, must speak with Shami to determine how long he wants to play and the ways to use ‘him smartly’.
“We all know what Shami brings to the table,” Mhambrey told The Telegraph. “The staff should talk to him and find out what he wants to do. He’s no longer young, so where does he fit in and how many more years does he look to play? How do we use him smartly?”
India’s next big assignment is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year for which they will travel to Australia. The team will play five Tests Down Under and a series win will go a long way in deciding whether they qualify for the final of the ongoing WTC cycle.
“I’m sure whoever comes with Gauti will find out how to get the best of Shami. If Tests are the focus now, then make sure he is in the best shape for the series in Australia,” Mhambrey said.
Mhambrey also opined that Shami shouldn’t be judged on the basis of his fitness levels and it shouldn’t be compared with that of a youngster.
“The primary role of a bowler is to take wickets. If you aren’t skilful, you won’t be in the team. Simple,” Mhambrey said. “Individual fitness varies and can’t be of the same level. So, the players have to be treated differently. You can’t compare a Shami with some youngster who has just come in. You have to understand what the value of Shami is. Do you need Shami to do the Yo-Yo or bowl those many balls in a Test and win India the game?”
