Gautam Gambhir's tenure as the head coach of the Indian cricket team is facing severe turbulence, with furious fans calling for his resignation. The clamor for his removal follows a string of controversies and a perceived decline in the team's performance across all formats.
Since Gambhir's appointment, the Indian team has suffered significant setbacks. These include a 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand at home and a loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, which also led to India's exit from the World Test Championship finals. More recently, India surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after eight years with a 1-3 Test series loss in Australia. Adding fuel to the fire, the BCCI is reportedly set to evaluate Gambhir's position after the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. According to a senior BCCI source, his position could become untenable if India doesn't perform well, as "sport is result-oriented and till now, Gambhir hasn't given any tangible results".
Several reports have emerged of discontent within the Indian dressing room, with rumors of rifts between players and the coach. Adding to the turmoil, a report in the Times of India claimed that Gambhir scolded bowling coach Morne Morkel for arriving late to a training session during India's tour of Australia. This incident has further intensified the scrutiny on Gambhir's coaching style and his relationship with the team members.
Gambhir's strict approach to team discipline has also stirred controversy. Following the Test series loss in Australia, the BCCI introduced a stringent 10-point protocol aimed at restoring discipline and accountability, with measures such as restrictions on travel practices, personal baggage, and private staff. A particularly contentious rule was the restriction on family travel, which barred players from arriving or departing team hotels with family members, and limited family stays during tours. This policy has reportedly caused dissatisfaction among senior players, with ODI captain Rohit Sharma expressing his frustration on a live mic.
Gambhir's silence amidst the criticism was broken when he defended the policy, stating that players are "here for a purpose" and have a "huge responsibility to make your country proud". He emphasized the importance of commitment and downplayed the need for family during tours.
Adding to the controversy, reports have suggested that Gambhir presented five conditions to the BCCI for becoming the head coach. These included having full control over cricket operations, selecting his own support staff, and potentially dropping underperforming senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami if they fail to perform in the Champions Trophy 2025. He also purportedly desired a separate team for Test cricket and wanted to begin preparing the roadmap for the 2027 ODI World Cup from the start.
The appointment of Gautam Gambhir as India's head coach was always going to bring some type of controversy to the team. Amidst the ongoing drama, the pressure is mounting on Gautam Gambhir to turn things around quickly. With the Champions Trophy looming, his ability to unite the team and deliver results will determine his future as the head coach of the Indian cricket team.
