You're forgetting that this thread isnt about the plot of the series. Madara's fight againts gai was protected by plot, a direct blow to madara's heart was all it would've taken gai, but his limit ran out. Now imagine that kind of strength with sage mode. Im not fanboying anybody here. Im just using fact. I hate sounding like a fanboy. Gai/Lee have huge chakra reserves, they just dont know how to properly utilize their chakra.
This was stated since first series of naruto.
On an actual fight without ninjutsu involved, lee/gai dominate. Sage mode is a form of some type of ninjutsu, if that was used +taijutsu..idk man. The only thing im guessing might fight against them is Susanoo.
As for the comment about lee/gai not being "smart" or "good tacticians" or by your term "scholars", Lee/gai are taijutsu masters...as far as taijutsu goes, they're scholars in it. It takes a really smart person to utilize their natural abilities and beast mode out of it.
To re-explain that full capabilities gai/lee would have with naruto's sage mode;
Ability to summon multiple giant beasts, Gai could summon giant version of his pet turtle he had back in first seriies.
Gai could break the ground alone with just sage mode (as naruto did it during the fight against pain), naruto used multiple resenshurikens, meaning during that mode he collects chakra somewhat fast, his healing heightened, meaning Gai/lee could actually use 8th gate and keep having their wounds healed.
Need i say more..?
