Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Coach Gautam Gambhir under intense scrutiny as Team India Gear Up For Thunder Down Under

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Border Gavaskar Trophy: Never take anything for granted in sports, that's the message Team India received after being blown to smithereens by New Zealand (3-0) in the home Test series recently.

Reactions were one of horror and disbelief, and to forget it soon is impossible. For those who ask 'why,' the dream of making the ICC Test Championship Final, which was almost taken for granted, has been killed. For the optimists, India can still make it if they beat Australia 4-0 in the BGT Series, starting at the Optus in Perth on November 22. Also Read: Why King Kohli is still the cynosure in Australian media | Opinion

Gautam Gambhir Under Tremendous Pressure!

There is no harm in dreaming and there is no harm in trying to fight even as the underdog. Stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah spoke confidently at the press conference on Thursday, which was a good sign. Eventually, the team has to go out and perform.

There is not just one problem or two for the Indian team. It is a collection of problems, compounded by Rohit Sharma's paternity leave break for the first Test. He is entitled to it, so the debate ends there. Where the debate will begin is not just on how India plays, but how coach Gautam Gambhir handles the challenges ahead.

For someone who was the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders as they won the IPL 2024 trophy this summer with Shreyas Iyer as captain, Gambhir has been fortunate. Yet, he has already ruffled too many feathers through his hard talk and how he has taken on a few people. Also Read: Revisiting Cheteshwar Pujara's Masterclass and Grit in the Last Two Tours Down Under

Gambhir will be under scrutiny far more than the team members. It is nice to read stories in print Gambhir and the chairman of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, will plan the transition. That's pretty hilarious, for transition can wait. The most important is to get the best 11 guys into the team sheet on Friday morning. There are shower predictions, so play can get disturbed.

Gautam Gambhir on Experts' Radar

Gambhir knows he is under watch and every decision he makes/takes will be judged by not just carping critics and experts like Sanjay Manjrekar and Sunil Gavaskar, but an army called social media. This army has to be feared more than the regular media since it is powerful and shapes opinion.

Frankly speaking, there is no pressure on Bumrah as captain. If he is being handed a side with injuries, he has to do his best. He will set an example with his own bowling. It is Gambhir who will be judged since there is no threat perception for Bumrah, who has constantly proved himself across formats.

There is this arrogant view about Gambhir as a coach. It may be his natural self since he has always been seen as someone who speaks stuff which creates diverse opinions. He has not spared MS Dhoni after the 2011 World Cup triumph, so it tells you a lot about Gambir.

Critics will compare Gambhir with Shastri & Dravid's stints

People will compare Gambhir with his predecessors, where Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid rate very high. Shastri is gregarious, never feared the media and stepped out to face the press in one of the most memorable tours for India in 2021, when Ajinkya Rahane led with class. Shastri has never shied away even when the team did badly. That's his persona, which still reflects as a commentator.

As for Dravid, referred to as silent, he performed his job. He was part of two big campaigns, India making the World Cup (ODI) finals last November as well as India winning the ICC T20 World Cup in June.

Gambhir will be judged by these yardsticks that his predecessors set, though when Shastri and Virat Kohli had to be eased out, excuses were found. Each move of Gambhir will be analysed, he has already flopped twice, in the ODI series in Sri Lanka as well as the Test series against the Black Caps at home.

All Eyes on India's Combination in Perth Test

Will Gambhir push for KL Rahul as an opener, we will know soon. That will be suicidal as Rahul has not been in form. Against the pace and swing of Pat Cummins and company, Rahul will be a sitting duck as an opener. Then again, if Gambhir sought out Harshit Rana, straight from a Ranji match, it tells you about the clout he wields at present.

There is this nagging suspicion, Gambhir is still nursing the KKR hangover and wants his own men. It is evident from the support staff he wanted on board. Rana or Nitish Reddy in the playing XI, will Dhruv Jurel be picked in the middle order, all these questions will be answered on Friday.

If the team does well in this high-profile five-Test BGT, Gambhir will be cheered. If not, he will face the guillotine. That's how ruthless Indian cricket is, for all, Gambhir included.