With Kohli and Rohit gone, Gambhir demands full autonomy in Team India: Report

The Indian cricket team is entering an unprecedented era not just because Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired from the Tests, but also because head coach Gautam Gambhir, it seems, will now be the sole decision-making body. The hero of the 2011 World Cup final win, Gambhir, has often spoken against the star culture, and now he is amid a situation where two of the biggest stars of the Indian team have bid goodbye to the Test team .

Rohit and Kohli, who retired from Tests over the past week, have also quit T20Is and will now represent India in ODIs only. Talking specifically about the Tests side, Gambhir is set to enjoy full control of the team, a report in Dainik Bhaskar has claimed.

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Gambhir to enjoy full autonomy in Team India 

As per the report, the 43-year-old former opening batter, Gambhir, is set to be the sole authority when it comes to making decisions like team selection, policy-making, and other important details. With Kohli and Rohit gone, there’s hardly anyone who can challenge his authority.

To ensure that he is able to mould the team the way he likes, Gambhir has reportedly asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for full autonomy. “In order to stop a repeat of the home-series defeat against New Zealand and the debacle in Australia, Gambhir has requested the board for full autonomy,” the Dainik Bhaskar report said.

The report further adds that Gambhir would prefer Shubman Gill to be made the new captain instead of Jasprit Bumrah. The pacer was the vice-captain on the Australia tour and also led India to victory in the Perth Test as a captain.

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The whole story will become clear soon as the team for the Test series is expected anytime soon. The five-match Test series against England starts on 20 June.

Even if BCCI appoints Bumrah as the captain, Gambhir is set to enjoy a free rein in the absence of star players like Rohit, Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired during the Australia tour.