Not only are top stars and others in the Indian cricket team under watch, Gambhir too can’t evade responsibility. Besides, the excellent ‘Rahul Dravid era’ will be compared by all concerned. That will be bad news for the head coach, indeed
By Kamran Khan
On January 5, 2025, the Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) to Australia after holding it for a decad: 3-1This defeat followed India’s historic 0-3 loss to New Zealand at home, marking the first-ever whitewash in India by a visiting team.
India did not cross the 200-run mark six out of nine times. These two major setbacks have led to an unprecedented situation—India’s failure to qualify for the World Test Championship final.
To prevent further embarrassment, former India captain and one the greatest opening batsman in the world, Sunil Gavaskar suggested that regular Indian players should represent their state teams in the longest format of the game. “The next round of the Ranji Trophy is on January 23. Let’s see how many players from this squad participate. If they don’t, I believe Gautam Gambhir will have to make some tough decisions and say, ‘You lack commitment, we need commitment, and you’re not playing. Whatever you want to do, do it. But for Indian cricket, you cannot return to the Test squad,’” he said, speaking to Star Sports.
“What I saw were technical deficiencies. If you have been making the same mistakes, and I am not just talking about this series—I am talking about the New Zealand series as well—what did you do against New Zealand in India?” he said.
“And that’s why, now, because the next cycle will start in June, we have not qualified for the World Test Championship. From now on, we should be ready for it. If we have to take tough decisions, then we will have to take them,” he said.
Pointing towards the new talent in the Indian team, he said, “They are hungry to earn a name for India and themselves. Such players are needed. You need such players who will protect their wicket like their life.”
Besides, Gambhir himself can’t escape blame. As head coach he should be guiding and instructing the team, especially in crunch situations. Why were the shot selections so hurried, frivolous and without any logic? Whey were they not able to block the ball, have patience, and stay at the wicket for long, including the super stars? Why did the bowlers fail? Cricket observers are asking precisely these questions.
The last time Virat Kohli, India’s top batsman, participated in a Ranji Trophy match was in 2012. Rohit Sharma has not featured in domestic red-ball cricket since the past nine years. Over the last four years, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj and KL Rahul have collectively played only four long-format domestic matches.
Former India player Irfan Pathan, speaking to Star Sports, emphasized the need for a “cultural change” . “We must change the culture. Even the legendary Sachin Tendulkar played in the Ranji Trophy when it was not necessary, simply because he wanted to spend that much time on the field,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a surprising move, great off-spinner, R Ashwin, took retirement during the recent series against Australia. It was a big shock to all cricket-lovers because he has been a legend in spin, and a very useful batsman.
Ironically, he said that he had “zero regrets” about his sudden decision to retire from international cricket after the Gabba Test. He said he will continue to play for Chennai Super Kings for “as long as I can” because “I don’t think Ashwin, the cricketer, is done.”
After announcing his retirement in Brisbane on December 18, 2024 afternoon, he returned to Chennai next day itself. He was warmly welcomed by his family, friends and ardent fans. The reception included flower garlands, autograph-hunters, and a music band.
“I never expected so many people to be here. I just wanted a quiet return and was looking forward to relaxing at home. But you have made my day,” he said to fans gathered outside his residence. “I have played Test cricket for so many years, but the last time I saw something like this was after the 2011 World Cup.”
On his retirement, he said, “It’s emotional for a lot of people, and maybe it will sink in over time, but for me, personally, it brings a great sense of relief and satisfaction. It was a very instinctive decision, and it had been on my mind for a while. I felt it on day four, and I just decided it was time.”
“To be honest, we all face challenges in our careers, not just cricketers, but in any field. When I go to sleep, I often think about my achievements, like taking wickets or scoring runs, but those memories haven’t been there in the past two years. That was a clear sign that it was time for a change. I haven’t set any new goals because I just want to relax now. It’s actually hard for me to stay inactive, but I am going to try doing that for a change.”
Ashwin became the fastest Indian bowler to take 500 wickets in Test cricket since he took only 98 Tests to reach the landmark. He reached the milestone of 500 wickets during the India vs England third Test in Rajkot on February 16, 2024. Zak Crawley was R Ashwin’s 500th wicket in Test cricket.
Gautam Gambhir’s coaching record can be evaluated separately for white-ball and red-ball formats. While the former Indian opener boasts a reasonably good track record as head coach in white-ball cricket, his Test coaching performance has been abjectly dismal. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was a key tournament for him as a coach, but it has not gone well so far.
After their victory over South Africa in the four-match T20I series, India solidified its standing as T20 World Cup champions. With India remaining unbeaten in T20s, a closer look at Gambhir’s performance is required. Besides, the bang-bang structure of T20 is in stark contrast with the immense patience, perseverance, staying power at the wicket, copybook skills and mental abilities required in an arduous and tiring five-day game.
Gambhir joined the Indian team after a successful stint with Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he led them to the 2024 title. He took over as coach of the Indian cricket team during the T20I series against Sri Lanka, marking the first series after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from the shortest format. He had a successful start to his coaching career, with India winning all three matches in the series. Since then, India has lost only one out of the 10 T20s they have played.
In contrast, his start in the ODIs has not been ideal. India lost 2-0 to Sri Lanka on home soil, with one match ending in a tie. He has yet to secure a victory in the 50-over format.
As a Test coach, he has been disappointing, with India facing a clean sweep in their home series against New Zealand. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India lost the series.
It is therefore clear, that not only are top stars and others in the Indian cricket team under watch, Gambhir too can’t evade responsibility. Besides, the excellent ‘Rahul Dravid era’ will be compared by all concerned. That will be bad news for the head coach, indeed.