BCCI Backs Gautam Gambhir: Despite another series loss at home against South Africa—this is the second whitewash in 12 months—the Board of Control in Cricket (BCCI) is in no mood to take any strict action on Gautam Gambhir and management. There are reports that the board will be speaking to selectors and team management in the upcoming days. There won’t be any big steps and decisions taken as well, and it is likely that the selectors and team management will go ahead with the same set of players whom they have been backing for long.
In the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy, India had a good series where they drew the series and also defeated the West Indies at home a month ago, but the defeat against South Africa was the second whitewash at home in the last 12 months since Gautam Gambhir took the position of head coach. In the last 12 months India lost to New Zealand at home and South Africa and away to Australia. In between, the Indian team won the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup under Gambhir’s tenure.
BCCI Backs Gautam Gambhir: Won’t Be Any Knee-Jerk Action
On Wednesday after the defeat to South Africa, Gambhir was asked if he is the right one to continue as head coach in Test cricket. The Indian head coach stated that it’s up to BCCI to decide his future.
A BCCI official said,
“The BCCI will not rush in taking any decision; the team is in a transition phase. As far as coach Gautam Gambhir is concerned, we will not take any decision on him, as the World Cup is around the corner and his contract is till the 2027 World Cup. The BCCI will speak to selectors and team management going ahead, but there won’t be any knee-jerk action.”
The criticism of the management is due to changing the batting position of Washington Sundar. Despite India having a long batting lineup, not a single century came from the side. As of now no major changes will be done; there are chances that BCCI will be taking a meeting for the conclusion of the South Africa series to discuss about the future.
After India lost the test series in Guwahati, head coach Gautam Gambhir many times repeated that he doesn’t like giving excuses. But in the press conference he pointed out many times, stating that this is a young, transition-phase team.
“It starts with me…”: Gautam Gambhir
When Gambhir was asked about who’s responsible for the loss. He immediately said,
“Everyone in the dressing room, and it starts with me, to everyone in that dressing room. I’m not going to be someone who’s going to say that it lies with X, Y, or Z. It lies with everyone sitting in that room, as simple as it can get. That is what team sport is all about.”
“I’m going to stop this”: Gautam Gambhir
Then Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir went back to the batting in the first innings. Especially on Day 3, when India lost many wickets to South Africa, they got the advantage, which they used very well.
He said,
“I’m sure you guys must be watching the game. From 95 for 1 to 120 for 7. It’s not acceptable. And we keep talking about the game, obviously (against spin). But then one seamer got four wickets in that phase. And we’ve had these collapses in the past as well.”
“Someone needs to put their hand up and say that I’m going to stop this. At one stage on Day 3, you were pretty much in control of the game. And then from there, to lose 5 or 6 wickets for nothing on the board literally was always pushing us back.”
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