Another batting failure in the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia led to India's six-wicket defeat in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday (January 5).
With this defeat, India conceded the coveted BGT by a 1-3 margin and was also eliminated from the World Test Championship (WTC) final race.
During the course of the series, there were speculations of rifts in the Indian dressing room, especially after Ravichandran Ashwin's shocking call to announce international retirement following the third Test in Brisbane.
After the end of the Sydney Test, India head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the issues, citing that "happiness" in the Indian dressing room "will always be intact" and he treats everyone equally irrespective of the player's stature.
"To keep the dressing room happy, I have to be absolutely honest, equal and fair to everyone," said Gambhir at the post-match press conference.
"I know we haven't got the result, and it is frustrating, it is challenging; but whatever we can do in the best interest of Indian cricket, that will continue to happen in that dressing room."
The series highlighted the struggles of India's famed batting line-up. While young Yashasvi Jaiswal emerged as the highest run-scorer on his maiden Australian tour, seniors like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma performed way below the expectations.
Gambhir refused to mention any names, but said every player knows from within at what stage of career he is.
"Every individual knows at what stage is his game and hunger. That is the most important thing for any sport, any profession -- how hungry you are, how passionate you are and is the team progressing or not with your contribution? Because ultimately it's not my team or your team, it's the country's team," the coach said.
India’s designated skipper Rohit "stepped aside" for the Sydney Test, a decision he took owing to his extended lean patch. Jasprit Bumrah led the side, with Shubman Gill taking Rohit's place in the playing XI.
"As I have said before, there are honest players in our dressing room who know how hungry they are and if the Indian team can move forward with their contribution. But as far as I am concerned, my biggest responsibility is that I have to be fair to everyone in that room, not one or two individuals," Gambhir stated.
"If I am fair with only two or three individuals and not with others, then I am being dishonest with my job. So whether it's a player who is yet to debut or a player who has played 100 Test matches, the simple objective of my job is that I have to be absolutely fair and equal to everyone.
"If we are committed to what we are doing with honesty, I think that should be fine," he concluded.
