India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Thursday dismissed rumors of unrest in the team’s dressing room, asserting that any “debates” between players and the coaching staff should remain private. Addressing a pre-match press conference ahead of the fifth and final Test against Australia, Gambhir emphasised the importance of performance and honesty within the team environment.
“Debates between coach and player should remain in the dressing room,” Gambhir stated. “Stern words are part of the game, but these were just reports, not the truth. Indian cricket will be in safe hands as long as honest people stay in the dressing room.”
The former cricketer revealed that his focus has been on fostering open communication, ensuring the team remains united amid external speculations. “There were honest words because honesty is important. Performance is the only thing that keeps you in the setup,” he added.
Gambhir clarified that his discussions with senior players Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma have been limited to strategies for winning matches. “Every individual knows what areas to work on. Our only conversation has been about how to win Test matches,” he explained.
On the squad front, Gambhir confirmed pacer Akash Deep’s unavailability for the New Year Test due to a stiff back but refrained from naming a replacement.
The 28-year-old right-arm pacer bowled a total of 87.5 overs across two Test matches and his niggle could be a result of the heavier than usual workload he has endured. The hard Australian grounds can cause knee, ankle and back issues for pacers.
Either Harshit Rana or Prasidh Krishna could make it to the eleven in place of Akash. India trail 1-2 in the five-match series and need to win the fifth and final game to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
(With inputs from PTI)