Gautam Gambhir's Shocking Recommendation for Australia Tour: Revealing Surprising Selection Insights

New Delhi: There seems to be a rift brewing between Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and the BCCI, with disagreements arising over team selection and playing strategies. A recent report has revealed Gambhir's frustration with the team's performance, especially following their loss on Day 5 of the fourth Test in Melbourne during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Additionally, there are reports that Gambhir is pushing for the inclusion of Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara in the squad for the upcoming tour of Australia.

According to a report by The Indian Express, there has been growing tension within the Indian dressing room, particularly regarding team selection. The report reveals that Gautam Gambhir had repeatedly pushed for the inclusion of Cheteshwar Pujara before the first Test against Australia in Perth. However, his requests were overlooked by the selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar. Even after India won the Perth Test, Gambhir continued to advocate for Pujara’s inclusion.

Pujara, with 103 Test matches to his name and an average of 43.60, played a crucial role in India’s previous series wins in Australia but hasn’t been part of the team since the 2023 World Test Championship final.

India’s ongoing struggles with the top-order batting have been apparent in the current series, and before it began, Australian bowler Josh Hazlewood expressed relief that Pujara wasn’t part of the squad.

Gambhir’s tenure as head coach has been marred by further issues, with reports indicating that he has had disagreements with the selectors and the captain regarding the selection of the playing XI for the Australia series. Specifically, his choices to include Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar were reportedly met with differing opinions within the Indian camp.

Additionally, Gambhir has expressed frustration over how the players have been unable to implement strategies effectively on the field.