January 14th 2025.
New Delhi: The future of Gautam Gambhir as head coach of the Indian team is up for reevaluation after the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament. There have been concerns about potential discontent within the team due to Gambhir's efforts to eliminate the long-standing "superstar culture" that has been prevalent for years.
Gambhir took over as head coach in July of last year, but unfortunately, the team has not been performing well under his leadership. They have lost six out of 10 Tests and even a bilateral ODI series against Sri Lanka. This has also put the international careers of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in jeopardy due to their own poor form.
However, Gambhir's position as head coach has also become uncertain. There have been reports of a rift between him and some prominent players during the Border-Gavaskar Test series in Australia, which India lost 1-3.
A senior BCCI source, who prefers to remain anonymous, stated, "If the Indian team does not perform well in the Champions Trophy, Gambhir's position as head coach could become untenable. Although his contract runs until the 2027 World Cup, the evaluation process is ongoing. In sports, results matter and so far, Gambhir has not delivered any significant results."
The BCCI has already conducted a review of the team's performance in Australia. It is believed that Gambhir and some senior players are not on the same page when it comes to team culture.
The source further elaborated, "Gambhir's aim is to put an end to the superstar culture that has been prevalent for many years. As the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012, he even dropped Brendon McCullum from the playing XI for the IPL final against CSK. He has come here with the intention of dismantling the superstar culture, which has caused discomfort for some players."
To support this claim, the source shared an incident from Gambhir's playing days with Delhi. "As the Ranji captain, Gambhir decided to play home matches at the Roshanara Ground in Delhi North-West, where the pitches were more suitable. However, there was one big superstar who wanted to play at the Jamia Milia Islamia ground, which was closer to his residence in South Delhi. Gambhir stood his ground and did not give in to the demands. Similarly, in the Indian team, he does not want the culture of superstardom to thrive."
It has been learned that Gambhir was not happy with how some star players made specific demands regarding hotels and practice timings during the Australia tour. On the other hand, some senior players have expressed their disappointment with a lack of communication from Gambhir's side.
Amidst this ongoing tension, the national selection committee has also expressed their concerns about the head coach having too much influence in selection matters. A former selector even compared Gambhir's approach to that of the mercurial former coach Greg Chappell.
The Australian coach had a tumultuous tenure with the Indian team, as he had differences with the senior players over his training methods. The former selector stated, "You can either be like Ravi Shastri, who is media-friendly and gives sound bites that make players look like alpha males, or be like Rahul Dravid, Gary Kirsten, or John Wright, who prefer to remain aloof and let the players take the limelight. The 'Chappell Way' does not work in India. Gambhir, Shastri, or Dravid may come and go, but the players will always remain."
The BCCI officials are also unhappy with how Gambhir's personal assistant was constantly present with the team during the Australia tour. "Why was his PA sitting in the car designated for national selectors? They cannot have private discussions with an unknown person in the car. Why was he given space in the BCCI's hospitality box in Adelaide?" an irritated BCCI official questioned. "How was he able to have breakfast in the restricted area of a five-star facility, which is only meant for the team members?" he added.
With each passing day, tensions seem to be rising in the Indian dressing room. It is safe to say that the team is heading into the Champions Trophy with a lot of unease and uncertainty. The tournament will take place from February 19 to March 9, and it remains to be seen how Gambhir's position as head coach will be affected by the team's performance.
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