Sreesanth Calls for Change: India Needs Mentor Like Dhoni, Not Strict Coach

Former India fast bowler S Sreesanth has launched a verbal critique of India head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying that the Indian team doesn’t need a coach but a mentor. He said that the Men in Blue would be better served by a mentor like MS Dhoni rather than a conventional coach. Sreesanth appeared on The Lallantop’s show ‘Guest in the Newsroom’, where he questioned Gambhir’s impact on the team, highlighting the recent struggles the side faced in the Whites. Sreesanth highlighted how India suddenly faced a decline in the Tests after a period of dominance. The Indian Men suffered a 0-3 home series loss to New Zealand in 2024 before losing another home series to South Africa in 2025. This is not it, the side also missed out on a place in the World Test Championship final after a series of disappointing results including the loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. SREESANTH BACKS DHONI-TYPE LEADERSHIP OVER STRICT COACHING 👀 🎙️: "India doesn't need a coach who forces players to follow instructions and drops them if they don't. Even MS Dhoni never operated that way. What the team needs is a mentor, and Mahi bhai would be the perfect fit… pic.twitter.com/kbGt6EjHot "Change the coach, friend. India needs a mentor, not a coach," Sreesanth said in the show. Questioning Gambhir’s style of coaching, the former India star said, "I have an issue with the way he coaches. There is too much pressure on the players. At this level, you need a mentor. Dhoni never put players under pressure and then dropped them if things didn't work out.” "Team India needs a mentor like Dhoni," Sreesanth added. "You have to be a brother first. You can't just laugh when you win and get angry when you lose. You've done well for the country, that's great. That doesn't mean others aren't trying. Have a mentor over a coach." Notably, ever since Gambhir took over the reins from Rahul Dravid following the T20 World Cup 2024 win, he has seen mixed results across formats. While India went on to lift the T20 World Cup in 2026 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, the side’s performance in the longest format has come under scrutiny following multiple disappointing results at home.