Another batting failure and another sub-200 total in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series against Australia led to India’s defeat in Sydney on Sunday, as the hosts won the trophy for the first time since 2014.
The defeat not just cost India a 1-3 series defeat but also eliminated Rohit Sharma & Co from the qualification race for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Australia’s six-wicket win also sealed the WTC final spot, where they will take on South Africa this June at Lord’s.
During the course of the series, there were rumours about rifts in the dressing room, especially after Ravichandran Ashwin’s shocking decision to retire from international cricket after the third Test in Brisbane.
Summing up India’s performance in Australia, chief coach Gautam Gambhir said “happiness” in the Indian dressing room “will always be intact” and that he treats everyone equally, irrespective of the player’s stature.
“To keep the dressing room happy, I have to be absolutely honest, equal and fair to everyone,” said Gambhir at the post-match press conference in Sydney. “I know we haven’t got the result, and it is frustrating, it is challenging; but whatever we can do in the best interest of Indian cricket, that will continue to happen in that dressing room.”
The series highlighted the struggles of India’s renowned batting lineup, with debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal emerging as the highest run-scorer on his first Australian tour. Meanwhile, established players Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma performed way below their usual standards.
Without taking any names, Gambhir said every player knows from within at what stage of his career he is.
“Every individual knows at what stage his game and hunger. That is the most important thing for any sport, any profession — how hungry are you, how passionate are you and is the team progressing or not with your contribution? Because ultimately it’s not my team or your team, it’s the country’s team,” the coach said.
Captain Rohit Sharma “stepped aside” for the Sydney Test, a decision he took owing to his poor form with the bat. Jasprit Bumrah captained the side, with Shubman Gill taking Rohit’s place in the eleven.
“As I have said before, there are honest players in our dressing room who know how hungry they are and if the Indian team can move forward with their contribution. But as far as I am concerned, my biggest responsibility is that I have to be fair to everyone in that room, not one or two individuals,” said Gambhir.
“If I am fair with only two or three individuals and not with others, then I am being dishonest with my job. So whether it’s a player who is yet to debut or a player who has played 100 Test matches, the simple objective of my job is that I have to be absolutely fair and equal to everyone.
“If we are committed to what we are doing with honesty, I think that should be fine,” he concluded.
