 "Gautam Gambhir is walking on thin ice as the head coach and a poor T20 World Cup title defence could end his stint. Reuters")
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not happy with head coach Gautam Gambhir and his future could depend on how India’s title defence goes in the upcoming T20 World Cup which takes place in India and Sri Lanka. A poor performance in the tournament could spell end to Gambhir’s coaching career.
The Hindustan Times reports that even though the board currently is backing the former India opener , things would be reviewed at the end of the T20 World Cup whose final is on March 9 in Ahmedabad.
BCCI unhappy with Gambhir’s press conference
After the loss in the first Test in Kolkata, Gambhir had clearly stated that India wanted a sharply turning track .
“This is exactly the pitch we were looking for. The curator was very, very helpful and supportive. This is exactly what we wanted and this is exactly what we got. When you don’t play well, this is what happens,” he said after the Kolkata defeat.
“There were no demons in this wicket. It was not an unplayable wicket. It was a wicket where your technique can be judged, your mental toughness can be challenged, and more important than that is your temperament. The point is that you should be able to know how to play turn. And this is what we asked for and this is what we got,” Gambhir had added.
This upfrontness has not gone down well with the board as the team has continued to be poor with the bat.
“There will be deeper conversations after the white-ball season,” a board official reportedly told the publication. The official has also ruled out having different coaches for different formats .
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View AllIndia now do not play a Test for almost nine months as the white ball season takes over. The T20 World Cup begins February 7 and that will be a big test for Gambhir and Co. India’s next Test assignment is now in August next year in Sri Lanka and turning tracks could be a problem in the island country as well.