Since the Indian team lost the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, things have not been going well in the team. Former cricketers and fans have criticized the players and head coach Gautam Gambhir. Now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also thinking of taking a strict approach. India is set to play in the Champions Trophy next month, and it is being said that BCCI will review Gambhir’s tenure based on the team’s performance in the tournament.
Under Gambhir’s coaching, the team has lost six out of ten Test matches. Gambhir took over as coach in July last year. Since then, India has lost six of the ten Test matches and also lost an ODI series against Sri Lanka. Due to these poor results and the team’s form, there are also rumors about the future of players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Gambhir’s position as coach is now uncertain as well.
There are speculations that Gambhir had disagreements with some senior players during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. India lost the five-match Test series 1-3. A source told news agency PTI that if India does not perform well in the Champions Trophy, the coach’s position may not remain strong. Although his tenure is until the 2027 ODI World Cup, the review will continue. Results matter in sports, and so far, Gambhir has not delivered solid results.
BCCI recently held a review meeting about the Australia tour, and it is believed that there was a difference of opinion between Gambhir and senior players about the team’s culture. The source said that Gambhir wants to end the “superstar culture” that has been around for years. In 2012, while captaining Kolkata Knight Riders, he dropped Brendon McCullum from the IPL final. Gambhir has come to end this “superstar culture,” and some players are not happy about it.
As an example, when Gambhir was the captain of the Delhi Ranji team, he decided to play a home match at Roshanara Ground, where the pitch was green. However, a big superstar, who was not in the Indian team, wanted to play at Jamia Millia Islamia Ground, which was near his home in South Delhi. Gambhir rejected this request. Similarly, he does not want a “star culture” in the Indian team.
It is also understood that Gambhir was not happy with how some star players made demands about hotel stays and practice sessions during the Australia tour. On the other hand, senior players feel there is a lack of communication from Gambhir.