Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has urged India head coach Gautam Gambhir to take firm control of the T20I side after back-to-back disappointing series against Ireland and England. India suffered a 2-0 defeat in Ireland before being comprehensively beaten 4-0 by England, raising questions over the team's direction and selection strategy.

 

Gambhir's decisions, including the rotation between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson, along with his continued backing of Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma, came under scrutiny throughout the tour. While criticism has largely been directed at the coaching staff, de Villiers believes the players also need to shoulder responsibility.

 

He said the transition from franchise cricket to the international stage demands a different mindset and greater adaptability than what is often required in the IPL.

 

Read also: Watch heartwarming gesture from Virat Kohli towards captain Shubman Gill after India crash England in first ODI

 

IPL success must not define international approach, says de Villiers

 

Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers said India's recent struggles should serve as a reality check for a young batting group that has enjoyed success in the IPL. ABD said,

 

"Lots to worry about. Lots of eyes and fingers will be pointed at Gautam Gambhir. Yes, he needs to take leadership and ownership of how this team will move forward. He’s got all the credentials to do so. Maybe this was not a bad thing to get a bit of a wake-up call. Bring those players who have scored so many runs in the IPL a little bit down to earth again. Let them understand that this is international cricket; there’s no more weakness. In the IPL, there are always one or two bowlers you think you can score against. There’s nowhere to hide, so you need to have more than one or two gears. You can’t always bat in the fifth gear."

 

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the only debutant on the tour and the IPL's leading run-scorer with 776 runs, featured in three T20Is against England but failed to score more than 15 in any innings before being left out of the final match.

 

Former Proteas star backs patience during India's transition

 

Despite the disappointing results, de Villiers urged fans not to expect immediate replacements for India's recently retired stars. He pointed out that rebuilding a side after the exits of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with managing Jasprit Bumrah's workload, would naturally take time.

 

"It was tough to watch India going down 4-0. I did not see that coming. But also not completely unexpected because of the lack of experience, and that is the word that comes to mind. The leadership becomes all the more important. I know there are a lot of fingers pointed at Gautam Gambhir. It is not only him. He plays a huge role. But you will have to be patient with the makeup of that team. You don’t just get a new Bumrah, Virat, or Rohit overnight. It takes time. I think they could have played better and should have been more consistent. I felt they lacked a game plan at times."