Gambhir under scanner, BCCI likely to snatch power after New Zealand debacle: ‘Shastri didn’t have that access’

Just like the senior batters of the Indian team, the performance of head coach Gautam Gambhir is too under the scanner after a disastrous Test series defeat against New Zealand on Sunday.

It was India’s first-ever whitewash in a Test contest (minimum of three matches) at home and a second series defeat for India since the appointment of Gambhir in July, the other being against Sri Lanka (0-2) in an ODI contest in August.

According to a report in the PTI, Gambhir’s fate relies entirely on the impending tour of Australia where India play five Tests as part of the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series. India will not only look to retain the title, having won both their last two tours of Australia but also have the World Test Championship final qualification on the line. Having suffered a brutal and unprecedented whitewash at home, India, who dropped to the second spot in the table, have to avoid a loss or more than a solitary draw against Australia to make the final for the third straight time.

The report further revealed that unless a remarkable turnaround, BCCI might curb Gambhir’s power, having been given a free hand in selection matters, unlike his predecessors, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid.

Some of the concerns raised against Gambhir, according to the report, has been his insistence on a rank turner in Mumbai for the third Test against New Zealand despite it being no secret that the Indian batting line-up has increasingly become vulnerable against spin over the last few years. Moreover, questions have also been raised on a few of his tactical calls during the recent home series like the decision to send Mohammed Siraj as night-watchman on the second evening of the third Test and Sarfaraz Khan at No.8 in the first innings.

Gambhir given free hand in selection matters

According to the BCCI rules, head coaches have no say in selection matters, which was often raised by Shastri, both during his tenure and following the end of his successful stint, and his successor Dravid. But the board made an exception, considering the importance of the Australia tour, and allowed Gambhir to be part of the selection meeting.

“Gautam Gambhir was given access which his predecessors Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid didn’t have. The BCCI’s rule book doesn’t allow coaches to be a part of the selection committee meetings, but for Australia tour selection meeting, an exception was made.

“The head coach was allowed to attend considering the magnitude of the tour,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

Gambhir has also had influences on selection matters since his appointment in July, having played a key role in Suryakumar Yadav pipping Hardik Pandya in the race to India T20I captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format.

More recently, the news agency had reported last month that Gambhir insisted on Harshit Rana’s selection for the Australia Test series despite having played only nine First-Class games, which raised quite a few eyebrows. Moreover, there were questions raised as the Delhi speedster was not set for the India A tour in Australia as he rather played a Ranji Trophy game at home against Assam before practising with the India team in Mumbai ahead of the third New Zealand Test.

Gambhir also had an influence in Nitish Reddy’s selection with the former India opener convinced that he can be the ideal replacement of Hardik Pandya as the seam bowling all-rounder.