Some senior players in the Indian team are reportedly not too pleased with coach Gautam Gambhir’s coaching style. Apparently, some of them have even conveyed their reservations over the ex-India opener’s functioning to former cricketers as well as BCCI Apex Council members.
Even since taking over as Team India’s head coach from Rahul Dravid, Gambhir has been under constant scrutiny. The poor results haven’t helped his cause. Concerns over Gambhir’s tenure with the Indian team have only increased after they suffered losses in Ireland (T20Is) and England (T20Is and ODIs).
As per a report in Cric Blogger, Gambhir’s perceived unwillingness to accept accountability for losses has not gone down well with the BCCI. The report further claimed that some experienced players too are apparently not enjoying playing under him. The report stated:
“It is understood that some senior players have privately conveyed their reservations about Gambhir’s coaching style to former India cricketers as well as members of the BCCI Apex Council. While these discussions remain informal, they have added to the scrutiny surrounding the head coach.”
However, the report also claimed that, despite the issues around Gambhir, the head coach ‘continues to enjoy the board’s confidence and remains the undisputed authority within the Indian team’.
Test series in Sri Lanka could be crucial for Gautam Gambhir’s future as head coach
India‘s next assignment will be a two-match Test series to be played in Sri Lanka as part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. India are fifth in the points table, with four wins, four losses and one draw.
India’s Test fortunes have seen a massive dip during Gambhir’s tenure as head coach. They suffered a shocking 0-3 loss at home to New Zealand in 2024 – their first-ever whitewash at home in a Test series of three or more matches. Last year as well, India suffered a 0-2 loss at home to South Africa. Before that, though, they did manage to secure a credible 2-2 draw in England.
Things could get challenging for Gambhir in Sri Lanka as they will be without the services of key players due to injury. Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana have all been ruled out of the Test series.
Edited by Renin Wilben Albert
