Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the Indian cricket team suffered a crushing 0-3 defeat in the recent Test series against New Zealand. This marked the first time in 24 years that the Indian team was whitewashed in a home Test series. The last time such a defeat occurred was in 2000, when India lost a two-match series 0-2 to South Africa. The Indian team is now set to embark on a tour of Australia, where they will play a five-match Test series starting on November 22.
This Test series is crucial for the Indian team in terms of qualification for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. If India manages to win the series 4-0 against Australia, they will secure a spot in the final. However, achieving this will not be easy. India will need to perform at their best to defeat Australia.
The Australian tour will also be a significant test for India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Questions have already been raised about Gambhir’s coaching following the humiliating defeat against New Zealand. Gambhir took over as head coach about four months ago. Under his guidance, the Indian team first lost the ODI series on the tour of Sri Lanka, followed by the disappointing defeat to New Zealand. Now, there is a significant update regarding Gambhir’s future.
If the Indian team performs poorly in Australia, Gambhir could be removed from the position of head coach for Test cricket. Currently, Gambhir is the head coach for all three formats of the game. According to a report in a daily newspaper, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering appointing separate coaches for white-ball (ODIs and T20Is) and red-ball (Test matches) cricket. A veteran like VVS Laxman might be appointed as the head coach for Test cricket, while Gambhir could continue as the head coach for the white-ball teams.
Meanwhile, according to a report by news agency PTI, BCCI held a review meeting following the crushing defeat to New Zealand. The meeting was attended by captain Rohit Sharma, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, head coach Gambhir, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, and president Roger Binny. The BCCI questioned some of the decisions taken by the team management during the New Zealand series. Gambhir’s coaching style, which is said to be very different from that of the previous head coach Rahul Dravid, was also discussed.
A BCCI source mentioned that the board was not satisfied with some of the decisions made during the New Zealand series and that these issues were addressed during the review meeting. The performance in the upcoming Australia series is expected to be a decisive factor in determining Gambhir’s future as the Test team’s head coach.