India coach Gautam Gambhir's position could be in trouble if India doesn't perform well at the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. The news comes after India's consecutive Test series loss - 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand followed by 1-3 against Australia Down Under.
Gambhir's Job in Danger?
"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," said a senior BCCI source, on the condition of anonymity, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Also Read: 2025 Champions Trophy: India's probable squad for tournament
Gambhir took charge of Indian cricket following Rahul Dravid's resignation from the post after India's T20 World Cup win in June 2024. Under Gambhir, India also lost an ODI series in Sri Lanka for the first time in 27 years before losing the two Test series.
There's also a report of rift between the players and coach, as Gambhir wants to end the superstar culture in the team, which has been going on for years now.
"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," PTI reported quoting a source who has been watching Gambhir's style of working closely.
The Board on Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is dealing with a lot, including the failures. India's two most senior batters, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, whose form is one of those issues.
Both the batters are facing questions over their future after their lackluster performance on the Australia tour. In addition, the board is also looking to announce their squad for the Champions Trophy 2025, keeping the future of Indian cricket in mind.