Test Series Disaster: Gambhir’s Coaching Strategy in Question, BCCI Likely to Make Tough Decisions

Team India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, appointed after the T20 World Cup 2024, has found himself in a challenging position following the team’s first-ever Test series whitewash against New Zealand. Since taking the helm, Gambhir has enjoyed unprecedented freedom from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), handpicking his support staff, including Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate, and former South African pacer Morne Morkel. However, concerns are mounting over the lack of Test experience among his team members.

Gambhir’s free rein extended to player selections for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, but the fallout from the 3-0 defeat at home to New Zealand has cast a shadow over his authority. The coaching strategy has faced criticism, particularly the decision to send pacer Mohammed Siraj as a night-watchman during the third Test and batting Sarfaraz Khan at No. 8 in the first innings.

A senior BCCI official revealed that Gambhir was granted privileges that his predecessors, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid, did not have, including participation in the selection meeting for the Australian tour—an exception made due to the tour’s significance. Notably, players like Harshit Rana and Nitish Reddy were included in the squad based on Gambhir’s recommendations.

However, Rana’s selection has raised eyebrows, as he did not play in the previous series against Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. His recent Ranji Trophy performances were promising, but some experts believe he would have benefited more from a stint with the India ‘A’ team in Australia to acclimatize to the conditions.

Meanwhile, Reddy’s ability has also come under fire after struggling with short balls in recent games, with doubts lingering about his suitability as a seam bowling all-rounder to replace Hardik Pandya. As Gambhir’s coaching strategy is put to the test, all eyes will be on how he navigates the challenges ahead.