Coach Gautam Gambhir Has a Grievance Against Senior Players 

The Indian team’s recent poor series against Australia has evoked strong reactions in the country. The BCCI has analyzed the situation and introduced stricter guidelines for the players. These relate to staying together with families during tours and making it mandatory for players to travel on the team bus. Now, the board is sorting out the disagreements between head coach Gautam Gambhir and experienced players.

The Problem of Squad Culture

According to the BCCI, Gautam Gambhir and seasoned players did not find common ground on some team culture issues. The head coach wasn’t happy with some of the cricketers’ claims, including hotel accommodation and training times in Australia. They also complained to the coach because, according to them, he did not communicate with them enough. The coach may no longer have a key influence on selection.

Should Coach Change His Attitude Toward Players?

Commenting on the situation, the former selector compared Gambhir to another coach, Greg Chappell. He recalled that the latter also failed to find common ground with the senior players on many issues. In his opinion, this approach will not work in India. The overly self-centered coaches will leave, and the players will remain. There’s an opinion that Gautam needs to change his approach and try to take something from Ravi Shastri. This specialist was open to the media and actively supported his players. This created a healthy atmosphere in the team. 

Excessive Control 

The BCCI is also unhappy that Gautam Gambhir’s PA shadowed the squad in Australia. A board employee irritatedly wondered why the PA sat in the car for national selectors. He was also challenged for being in the cordoned-off area of the five-star hotel and the BCCI hospitality box. 

This and other incidents create an unhealthy atmosphere around the Indian national team. This is worrisome, considering the team is gearing up to compete for the Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19th.