Gambhir's coaching role under scrutiny after India's Test series defeat
The head coach of the Indian cricket team, Gautam Gambhir, is under fire after a string of poor performances. Since his appointment in July 2024, India have lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka and suffered a home Test series whitewash to New Zealand. This is India's first-ever whitewash in a home Test contest (minimum of three matches) and the second series defeat under Gambhir.
Gambhir's future hinges on upcoming Australia tour
Gambhir's future as head coach now hinges on the upcoming tour of Australia, where India will play five Tests as part of the Border-Gavaskar series. The team not only aims to retain the title, having won their last two tours of Australia, but also has World Test Championship final qualification at stake. After a brutal home whitewash by New Zealand, India must avoid a loss/more than one draw against Australia to make the final for the third consecutive time.
BCCI may limit Gambhir's powers amid performance concerns
There are signs that BCCI might restrict Gambhir's powers unless he pulls off a miracle. "Gambhir was given access which his predecessors Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid didn't have. The BCCI's rule book doesn't allow coaches to be a part of the selection committee meetings, but for Australia tour selection meeting, an exception was made. "The head coach was allowed to attend considering the magnitude of the tour," a senior BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
Gambhir's involvement in selection matters raises eyebrows
Gambhir's active role in selection matters has also been a bone of contention. Despite BCCI rules stating that head coaches shouldn't be involved in selection, an exception was made for Gambhir due to the importance of the Australia tour. His influence was evident when Suryakumar Yadav was picked over Hardik Pandya as India's T20I captain after Rohit Sharma's retirement from the format.
Gambhir's selection decisions continue to stir debate
Gambhir's decision to pick Harshit Rana for the Australia Test series, despite the latter having played just nine First-Class games, has also sparked a debate. Further, his influence was seen in Nitish Reddy's selection as he thought Reddy could be an ideal replacement for Hardik Pandya as the seam bowling all-rounder. These decisions have only added to the ongoing scrutiny of Gambhir's role as head coach.
