Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian cricket team will be reevaluated if the national team fails to deliver in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. However, Gambhir’s contract runs till the 2027 World Cup, but the BCCI is reportedly keeping a close eye on the new coach’s performance and will take a call accordingly.
A senior BCCI official has claimed that Gautam Gambhir’s position as India’s head coach is not guaranteed if the Men in Blue fail to deliver a convincing result in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He said that Gambhir hasn’t produced any significant outcomes to impress the board.
Gautam Gambhir’s job at risk if India fails in ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Notably, the Indian cricket team lost six of their 10 Test matches and a bilateral ODI series against Sri Lanka ever since Gambhir took over from Rahul Dravid after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
A senior BCCI source told PTI: “If India doesn’t do well in the Champions Trophy, the head coach’s position could become untenable. Yes, his contract runs till the 2027 World Cup, but the process of evaluation continues. Sport is result-oriented, and till now, Gambhir hasn’t given any tangible results.”
Meanwhile, the BCCI has already reviewed India’s performance in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia, and during the meeting, it emerged that there are differences between Gautam Gambhir and senior players regarding team culture.
Gautam Gambhir on a mission to end “superstar culture” in Indian cricket
Gambhir is determined to end the “superstar culture” that has been part of Indian cricket for years. A source highlighted the Indian coach’s no-nonsense approach while recalling how the former Kolkata Knight Riders captain dropped Brendon McCullum from the IPL final despite his star status in 2012.
However, Gambhir’s approach to prioritizing team performance over individual status has reportedly irked some senior players. It is also being said that the Indian head coach was not happy with some senior players making specific demands regarding hotels and practice schedules on the Australia tour.
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The source further noted, “Gambhir wants to end the superstar culture that has been prevalent for so many years now. As captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012, he had dropped Brendon McCullum from the playing XI for the IPL final against CSK. He has come here to dismantle the superstar culture, and that’s what has caused discomfort for some playing members.”
Why was Gambhir PA sitting in the car specified for national selectors? BCCI questions
On the other hand, the BCCI is reportedly irked by the constant presence of Gambhir’s personal assistant accompanying the coach throughout the Australia tour. The BCCI official slammed how Gambhir’s PA was using facilities for the team members.
The BCCI official signed off by saying, “Why was his PA sitting in the car specified for national selectors? They can’t even discuss things in private with an unknown third person in the car. Why was he allotted space in the BCCI’s hospitality box in Adelaide? How did he have breakfast in the cordoned-off area of a five-star facility that is just earmarked for the team members?”