India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, stood by his team as he addressed media concerns ahead of the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Facing questions on India’s recent performance and player form, Gambhir displayed unwavering support for his team despite the challenging loss to New Zealand in a recent home series. The media interaction, however, drew criticism from former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, who took to social media to express his disapproval.
Following Gambhir’s conference, Sanjay Manjrekar shared his reaction on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that the BCCI consider limiting Gambhir’s media appearances. According to Manjrekar, Gambhir’s demeanor and approach were not conducive for press interactions, and he felt players like Rohit Sharma or chief selector Ajit Agarkar might be better suited for such responsibilities.
He posted, “Just watched Gautam Gambhir in the press conference. May be wise for @BCCI to keep him away from such duties, let him work behind the scenes. He does not have the right demeanour nor the words when interacting with them. Rohit & Agarkar, much better guys to front up for the media.”
Just watched Gambhir in the press conference.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) November 11, 2024
May be wise for @BCCI to keep him away from such duties, let him work behind the scenes. He does not have the right demeanour nor the words when interacting with them. Rohit & Agarkar, much better guys to front up for the media.
Amid discussions about player availability, Gambhir provided an update on captain Rohit Sharma’s status for the opening Test in Perth. While he couldn’t confirm Rohit’s participation, he mentioned that Jasprit Bumrah, the team’s vice-captain, would step in as captain if Rohit were unavailable. Gambhir assured that more information would be shared closer to the match start date.
Discussing possible opening combinations, Gambhir indicated that KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran are the frontrunners to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal if Rohit is unavailable. This pairing would bring a mix of experience and fresh talent to India’s batting lineup, helping the team strategize effectively against Australia’s bowling attack.
