Gautam Gambhir has remained undecided on Rohit Sharma’s selection for the SCG Test
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir taking media duties instead of regular captain Rohit Sharma on the eve of the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney raised some eyebrows.
However, Gambhir downplayed any speculation but remained non-committal regarding Rohit’s inclusion in the final Test of the series.
Rohit has struggled in the longest format since October 2023.
Heading into the Boxing Day Test, he averaged just 11.69 from seven previous matches, and his fortunes worsened with scores of 3 and 9 at the MCG.
On the ongoing tour, he has managed only 31 runs across six innings, with his issues against pace and good-length deliveries being exploited by opposition bowlers.
“Everything is fine with Rohit, and I don’t think it’s anything traditional with captains attending press conferences,” Gambhir stated.
“The head coach is here, and that should be good enough.
We’ll look at the wicket tomorrow and finalize it.”
When pressed about the possibility of Rohit not featuring in the XI, Gambhir added: “As I said, we’ll look at the wicket and announce the playing XI tomorrow.”
India’s defeat to New Zealand last year marked the beginning of a needed transition, and with Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement after the Brisbane Test, more difficult decisions are expected at the end of the tour, especially with India’s chances of making it to a third consecutive World Test Championship final looking slim.
Gambhir, however, expressed confidence in Indian cricket, saying:
“Indian cricket will always be in safe hands with honest people in the room.
Honesty is the most important thing for any transition.
It’s not about phasing out senior players or bringing in youngsters.
It’s about performance, and that starts from all of us.”
One of the key discussions after India’s loss at the MCG was balancing aggression with restraint.
Gambhir emphasized that players need to play according to the team’s requirements.
He cited Rishabh Pant’s shift from application to aggression as an example of where the team’s needs should dictate a player’s approach.
“It’s the team-first ideology.
If the team needs you to play a certain way, that’s what you need to do.
It’s a team sport, and individuals contribute to that,” Gambhir said.
Despite the MCG loss, Gambhir remained optimistic about India’s chances of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, expressing confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back in Sydney.
“We’ve got the skill set, the individuals, and everything we need in the dressing room to win a Test match here,” he said.
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