Gautam Gambhir hasn't had the greatest starts to his India coaching career.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir is under immense pressure after India’s historic ODI series loss to Sri Lanka and now the white-wash at home in the three-Test series against New Zealand. India got cleaned up in a Test series at home for the first time since 2000.
They had not lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka, home or away since 1997, but that streak broke in 2024. This has meant that BCCI has now focused on Gautam Gambhir’s performance as coach as well, especially as he was appointed as the successor to Rahul Dravid, under whom India achieved great success.
Unless there is a stunning turnaround Down Under, Gambhir, who was granted complete control over selection, may have less influence in team matters in the future.
While the coach can only do so much, questions are being asked about the lack of caution displayed by selecting a rank turner in Mumbai even though the top-order has often failed against strong spin bowling on grounds with decent turn over the last six to seven years.
Even those closely involved with Indian cricket have struggled to understand Gambhir's mentality of playing in the same manner no matter what.
Other decisions like sending Mohammed Siraj at no.3 as nightwatchman and then second Sarfaraz Khan at no.8 to maintain a left-right combination are being questioned by everyone.
"Gautam 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 the 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.
It has also come to light that Delhi pacer Harshit Rana and Andhra all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy were added to the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024) squad at the behest of coach Gautam Gambhir.
Rana was not allowed a white-ball game in Sri Lanka or during the home series with Bangladesh. He was claimed to have been released before the last match due to illness, but within a week, he was back bowling in the India nets in Bengaluru. He then had a good Ranji Trophy performance against Assam.
There was a school of thought that claimed Rana, rather than playing in the Ranji Trophy, could have been sent to Australia with India. A team that played one or two first-class games on bouncy tracks would have allowed him to hit the required length before the Test series.
Instead, he was turned into a net bowler for the third Test in Mumbai against New Zealand on pitches that were rank turners.
Nitish Reddy meanwhile faced trouble countering short ball in the India A v Australia A game recently and his bowling, which has been deemed not good enough to be amongst the main five bowlers, has raised concerns.
Gautam Gambhir reportedly was impressed with Reddy’s T20 skills and was convinced that he was the ideal replacement for Hardik Pandya in red-ball cricket.
The Australia series will be a stern test for Gambhir, as he may have to become the harbinger of doom for some senior players, showing them the mirror while the board observes his movements from the sidelines.
(PTI inputs)