Just days before the Champions Trophy 2025, reports are surfacing that all is not well within the Indian cricket team. It seems head coach Gautam Gambhir is facing some heat, with claims of dressing room leaks and a star player feeling unfairly treated. Let's break down what's being reported.
Dressing Room Drama
Remember the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia? Well, even back then, whispers of unrest in the Indian camp were making rounds. Some reports suggested that after India's loss in Melbourne, Gambhir was not happy and he even lashed out at the players.
According to News24 Sports, Gambhir believed someone from the team was leaking information to the media. News18 reported that Gambhir pointed his finger at Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan during a meeting with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The report even suggested that this accusation might negatively impact Khan's career as long as Gambhir is in charge.
Wicketkeeper Woes
Adding to the drama, a recent report in Times Now claims that an unnamed Indian wicketkeeper is not happy with coach Gautam Gambhir. This player, who isn't the first-choice wicketkeeper in the ODI team, feels he has lost his place due to some "external reason". While the report doesn't name the player, it does mention that he is unhappy about being sidelined in the ODI playing XI.
Many believe the player being referred to is Rishabh Pant. Currently, KL Rahul is being favored as the main wicketkeeper for ODIs. In fact, Rahul played all three matches against England as the designated wicketkeeper. Gambhir himself has stated that KL Rahul is the number one wicketkeeper. This leaves Pant's position in the team uncertain, despite chief selector Ajit Agarkar initially labeling him as the No. 1 wicket-keeper.
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Middle-Order Muddle
It's not just the wicketkeepers causing headaches. There seems to be some disagreement between Gambhir and Agarkar regarding the middle-order selection as well. For example, there were conflicting signals about Shreyas Iyer's place in the team and the decision to promote Axar Patel ahead of other players in the batting order.
Former selector Devang Gandhi has urged Gambhir and the selectors to bring more consistency to the middle order. He pointed out that in the past, the Indian batting lineup heavily relied on the top three batsmen, leaving the middle order vulnerable.
Can India Overcome the Drama?
With the Champions Trophy just around the corner, these reports of infighting and disagreements are definitely not ideal. It remains to be seen whether Team India can put aside these issues and perform at their best. The team will face Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in the tournament.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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