India cricketer blows the whistle on Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma amid team crisis

The once-celebrated unity of the Indian cricket team now appears to be falling apart with the reports of a fractured dressing room under head coach Gautam Gambhir making rounds on social media amidst the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

A scathing report in The Australian has painted a grim picture, alleging conflict not only among the senior Indian players but also among the reserve players on the Australia tour, which only got worse after their humiliating loss in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Rift between Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma sparks dressing room turmoil

Gautam Gambhir, whose stint as Team India’s head coach has been marred by disappointing results, is reportedly not on good terms with the captain, Rohit Sharma. Gambhir and Rohit’s strained relationship has pulled down to the entire Indian cricket team, with even backup players feeling estranged and ignored during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

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A report in The Australian claimed that a reserve Indian player confessed at the kebab shop that neither the coach, Gautam Gambhir, nor captain Rohit Sharma even talked to him, exposing the deep cracks in the team. The report also claimed things are not well between the captain and coach.

India’s underwhelming performances since Gambhir’s appointment have only fueled the fire. 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 raised questions about his leadership both on and off the field.

Indian cricket team grapples with conflicts on Australia tour

What’s particularly alarming is the comparison to past coaches Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid, when the dressing room thrived in harmony and unity during their tenures. Now, those golden days seem ended as internal disputes are affecting India’s performance. The tension reached a boiling point, with whispers of miscommunication and favoritism adding fuel to the fire.

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.”

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Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Khaleel Ahmed return to India from Australia

Notably, India's pace trio of Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Khaleel Ahmed were initially named as reserve players for the ongoing five-match Test series in Australia. However, all three have since returned home, focusing on domestic cricket assignments at home.

Mukesh Kumar has rejoined Bengal and is participating in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, while Navdeep Saini has also resumed playing for Delhi in the 50-over tournament.

On the other hand, Khaleel Ahmed, who played his last match against Australia A in early November, is back in India but has yet to make an appearance in any domestic or competitive matches since his return