Gautam Gambhir’s position as head coach will be “revaluated” on the basis of India’s Champions Trophy performance next month amid concerns that there is discontent in the dressing room due to his push to end the long-prevalent “superstar culture” in the team.
Since Gambhir took over in July last year, the Indian team has lost six out of 10 Tests and also a bilateral ODI series in Sri Lanka. The results have left Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s international future in significant disarray thanks to their own poor form.
But Gambhir’s position has also become slightly shaky. Adding to the drama is his speculated rift with prominent players during the Border-Gavaskar Test series in Australia which India lost 1-3.
“If India doesn’t do well in the Champions Trophy, the head coach’s position could become untenable. Yes, his contract runs till the 2027 World Cup but the process of evaluation continues.
“Sport is result-oriented and till now, Gambhir hasn’t given any tangible results,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
There has already been a review of the team’s performance in Australia by the BCCI. It is understood that Gambhir and senior players aren’t on the same page on the issue of team culture.
“Gambhir wants to end the superstar culture that has been prevalent for so many years now. As captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012, he had dropped Brendon McCullum from the playing XI for the IPL final against CSK.
He has come here to dismantle the superstar culture and that’s what has caused discomfort for some playing members,” a source, who has seen Gambhir’s functioning closely, said.
It is learnt that the head coach was not pleased with how some star players gave specific demands about hotels and practice timings during the tour of Australia. But, on the other side, senior players have felt a lack of communication from his end.
Amid this ongoing tussle is the view of the national selection committee, which does not want the head coach to have too much of a say in selection matters. A former selector said Gambhir has shown shades of mercurial former coach Greg Chappell in his approach.
The BCCI brass is also upset with how Gambhir’s personal assistant shadowed the team everywhere in Australia.
With the drama picking pace with every passing day, it would not be wrong to say that it is a very uneasy Indian dressing room that is heading into the Champions Trophy from February 19 to March 9.
