Indian dressing room has reportedly become a hotpot of mistrust, and controversy as one of the reserve players has spilled on being isolated by Coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
A damning piece in The Australian paints a bleak picture, citing tension not only among senior Indian players but also among reserve players on the Australia trip, which worsened following their devastating defeat in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Gautam Gambhir, whose tenure as Team India’s head coach has been hampered by lackluster performances, is reportedly feuding with the captain, Rohit Sharma.
Rift between Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir affecting Indian dressing room
Gambhir and Rohit’s troubled relationship has dragged down the entire Indian cricket squad, leaving backup players feeling distant and forgotten during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
According to The Australian, a reserve Indian player admitted in a kebab shop that neither the coach, Gautam Gambhir, nor captain Rohit Sharma had spoken to him, exposing the team’s deep fractures. According to the story, the captain and coach are disagreeing.
India’s reserve player reveals the captain or the coach doesn’t speak with him
The tension reached a fever pitch, with whispers of miscommunication and partiality adding fuel to the fire. Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, was seen enjoying a calm Indian dinner with his family, while some of the team’s teenage players were spotted floating down Hay Street later that night.
In reality, a senior member of India’s support staff allegedly offered his credit card to pay for the players’ drinks, but no interest was shown. The reporter then claimed that he met an Indian team reserve member at a kebab shop at 1.45 a.m. the night before one of the tour’s Test matches.
The author of the report wrote: “I bumped into a reserve in the Indian team at a kebab shop at 1:45 am the night before one of the Tests. After making a point to explain why he needed the late-night meal, he went on to ask me if Rohit, the captain, had mentioned him to me at any point during the tour.
Has Gauti (Gambhir) bhai said anything about me to you?” The poor fellow cut a sullen figure as he then lowered his head and went, “Nobody says anything to me in the team. Not the captain or the coach.”
India’s poor performance after Gambhir’s appointment has further stoked the fury. Starting with an ODI series defeat in Sri Lanka, a humiliating home Test whitewash against New Zealand, and now squandering their chance to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Gambhir’s tenure has prompted concerns about his leadership both on and off the field.
The similarity to previous coaches Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid is particularly concerning since the dressing room thrived in harmony and unity during their tenures. These golden days appear to be over, as internal tensions hurt India’s success.
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