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Since his appointment as head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team in July 2024, Gambhir has made more headlines due to controversies than India’s performance on the field.
Gautam Gambhir has made more headlines for controversial reasons than Team India’s performance. (Picture Credit: PTI)
Former opening batter Gautam Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team in July last year after mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 title win. Gambhir, who also won two IPL titles as KKR captain in 2012 and 2014, had never coached any side in the IPL or in domestic cricket.
However, given Gambhir’s influence in the two franchises he was part of (KKR and Lucknow Super Giants), it was considered good enough for him to land the top job. There were high expectations from the two-time world cup winner, but in the last eight months, the results have been mixed – for the first time in history, India suffered a Test series defeat to New Zealand at home and lost a Test series against Australia in 10 years.
Apart from the poor results on the field, Gambhir’s tenure has seen him face severe criticism due to reportedly souring relationships with Indian players.
While no current India player has come out in the open complaining about Gambhir and his methods, on multiple occasions in the last few months, reports of unrest within the Indian team have surfaced online.
During the India tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, after India lost the fourth Test in Melbourne by losing seven wickets in the third session of fifth-day play, Gambhir reportedly slammed players for not following the team’s plans and doing their own thing in the name of “natural game”. In his assessment, Gambhir warned players by saying that going ahead, those who don’t abide by his strategy would be shown the exit door.
The 42-year-old former left-handed batter always stressed on Indian batters participating in domestic cricket after India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, BCCI acted on Gambhir’s suggestion to end star culture in Team India and issued a 10-point diktat for players.
In the 10-point policy to promote “discipline and unity,” BCCI made domestic cricket mandatory, imposing restrictions on the presence of families and personal staff on tours and banning individual commercial endorsements midway through series.
Gambhir, who is looking to become the first Indian to win an ICC trophy as a player and a head coach, is making the headlines once again for his alleged strained relationship with an India wicketkeeper-batter.
According to a report on Tuesday, the star stumper is not happy with Gambhir as he feels there is an ‘external reason’ behind him losing his place in the starting XI in ODIs.
Gambhir would surely like to shut down the rumours by guiding the team to Champions Trophy triumph.
