BCCI Holds Extensive Review Meeting With Rohit Sharma And Gautam Gambhir Following Test Series Loss

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently held an extensive review meeting following India's unexpected 0-3 defeat to New Zealand in the Test series. The session aimed to analyse the factors contributing to this loss.

India's captain Rohit Sharma, along with Ajit Agarkar, chairman of selectors, met with BCCI secretary Jay Shah and president Roger Binny. Head coach Gautam Gambhir participated remotely. The discussion reportedly lasted six hours.

The meeting focused on various strategic decisions, including the choice of pitch for the Mumbai Test and resting key bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Gambhir's coaching approach, which differs significantly from Rahul Dravid's, was also examined.

A BCCI source mentioned that Bumrah's absence was a precautionary measure. However, opting for a rank turner despite India's struggles on such pitches was a major topic of discussion.

Gambhir's coaching methods contrast sharply with Dravid's, leading to some adjustment challenges within the team. Although it's unclear if Gambhir's style was directly questioned, there appears to be some discord among the team's strategists regarding his approach.

The decision to play on a rank turner puzzled many, as players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli haven't excelled on turning pitches. Gambhir's choice to use the Mumbai turner was seen as bold.

Additionally, questions arose about selecting T20 specialist Nitish Reddy and newcomer Harshit Rana for the Australia Test series. Rana has only played 10 Ranji Trophy matches, and these selections were not unanimously supported by team management.

Gambhir assumed leadership after India's T20 World Cup victory. Under his guidance, India lost an ODI series against Sri Lanka and now faced this setback against New Zealand. His credibility is being questioned despite his success with KKR in IPL 2024.

The Indian cricket team is set to leave for Australia in two groups on November 10 and 11 for a five-match Test series. Currently second in the WTC table, India needs a significant series win to qualify for next year's WTC final.