The Indian cricket team didn’t fall apart after the 4th Test, but cracks had been visible for quite some time. The strain within the squad began even before their arrival in Australia in November. The Indian cricket team failed to gain unity even when they started Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a historic win in Perth.
Rift Between Captain & Coach Intensifies
As the series went on, the distance between captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir was quite apparent. The situation finally blew up when Rohit “decided to sit out” the fifth and final Test in Sydney, with Jasprit Bumrah taking over the captaincy. A report in The Australian revealed that Indian team’s bonding had been unraveling for quite some time now.
Indian Team Divided In Small Groups
“They didn’t hang around in the dressing room to have a drink or even step out for a meal together. Instead, they broke up into little groups and went their separate ways. The closest they came to it was a bunch of them, around seven or eight including a couple of the assistant coaches, going to Nobu, the high-end Japanese restaurant chain, for dinner,” the report by The Australian claimed.
Gautam Gambhir On His Own
“The head coach, Gautam Gambhir, spent it having a quiet Indian meal with his family. Some of the other youngsters were spotted later at night floating around Hay Street.
No Team Bonding
“This is despite a senior member of the support staff having offered his own credit card to buy some drinks for the team so that they could stick together to revel in what they’d achieved. As he would tell me later, none of the players were really interested. They all had their own plans,” the report added.
The Historic Victory In Perth Fails To Unite The Squad
The remarkable comeback victory of India at Perth, which they won by 295 runs, was the kind of morale-boosting moment for any team. But the report claimed that the win did little to improve the atmosphere of the team. Not even a historic win could evoke any team celebrations. The players were said to be seen in isolated groups, with no team activities or shared meals. Coach Gambhir, instead of joining his team, stayed in his hotel room. Even when a senior support staff member offered to buy drinks for the team, it was met with indifference.
India’s Losing Streak Continues
After the win in Perth, things went downhill fast. India suffered a crushing 10-wicket defeat in the pink-ball day-night Test. The third Test in Brisbane could have followed the same trajectory had rain not saved India from another loss. By the time India reached the MCG, tensions were at a boiling point. On Day 5, India’s batting collapsed as they lost seven wickets in just 20.4 overs, leading to yet another defeat.
Gambhir’s Sharp Talk And Rohit’s Decision To Sit Out
After the loss to MCG, head coach Gautam Gambhir had what was described as an “honest conversation” with several players. He made it clear that performance was the only way to secure a spot in the team. This conversation had a direct impact on Rohit Sharma, who had struggled with the bat throughout the series. After managing only 31 runs across five innings, Rohit made the decision to sit out of the fifth Test.
Rohit’s Disappointing Year: A Tough 2024
2024 was a challenging season for Rohit in Test cricket. In 14 matches, the batsman could muster only 619 runs with an average of just 24.76 in 26 innings. The lowest he had averaged in a season, this raises even more questions about his future in the team.
