Gambhir Wins First ICC Tournament! Head Coach Responds to Critics!

Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the Indian team won the Champions Trophy title after 12 years by defeating New Zealand in the final. This victory marked their second consecutive ICC title in just eight months, following the T20 World Cup win last year in June, where they defeated South Africa. Rahul Dravid was the head coach of India at that time, but after leading the team to global glory, he stepped down. Gautam Gambhir took over as the head coach. However, there have been criticisms against Gambhir, with allegations of bias and questions raised over his coaching methods. Despite this, India clinched the Champions Trophy title under his guidance.

India Remains Unbeaten: Despite several criticisms, India entered the Champions Trophy under Gambhir's supervision. The team arrived in Dubai without star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who had been injured during the Australia tour and couldn't recover in time for the tournament. Many former players questioned if India could make it to the final without Bumrah, but the Indian team proved their critics wrong by defeating Bangladesh in a spectacular victory and then eliminating their long-time rivals, Pakistan. India defeated New Zealand to reach the semifinals, where they dominated Australia to secure a spot in the final. India won the final in both bowling and batting, with Rohit's team emerging as champions.

Gambhir's First ICC Title as Head Coach: In the Champions Trophy, India gave Harshit Rana a chance in the first two matches, but in the final group-stage game against New Zealand, the team included spinner Varun Chakravarthy instead, who played a pivotal role in India’s victory, taking five wickets. India remained undefeated in the group stage and easily advanced to the semifinals, where they outclassed Australia. In the final, India secured the title, with remarkable performances in all departments of the game.

Gambhir’s Leadership in the T20 Format: Gambhir took charge of the Indian team in July last year, after Dravid’s tenure, during which India had won the T20 World Cup. Gambhir made several significant changes in the squad, such as appointing Suryakumar Yadav as the T20 captain instead of the expected Hardik Pandya. This decision came as a surprise to many, but it marked the beginning of the Gambhir era in Indian cricket.

T20 Series Victory Against Sri Lanka, ODI Losses: Under Gambhir’s coaching, the Indian team had an impressive T20 series win against Sri Lanka, winning 3-0. However, in the ODI series, India suffered a shocking 2-0 defeat, marking the first series loss in Sri Lanka in 26 years. This raised many questions about Gambhir’s coaching abilities and was widely discussed on social media, especially when compared to Dravid’s tenure.

Poor Performance in Home Test Matches Against New Zealand: India’s home series against Bangladesh was a success, with India winning 2-0 in the Test series. However, the series against New Zealand turned out to be disastrous for India. Despite strong performances in the past, India lost the three-match series 0-3 to New Zealand on home soil. This defeat made it extremely difficult for India to qualify for the World Test Championship final.

Disastrous Loss in Australia: India’s performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia also raised alarms. After an impressive win in the first Test in Perth, the Indian team lost the next three matches, including the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide and the Brisbane Test, and ultimately lost the series. This loss also ended India's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final for the third consecutive year.

Criticism of Gambhir’s Leadership: Following the loss in Australia, there was a surge in online criticism, with fans demanding the removal of both captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gambhir. The rumors of dressing room conflicts also gained traction after reports surfaced of differences between players, with speculation about Rohit’s future. The BCCI took action, introducing new guidelines for the players and facing criticism over Gambhir’s perceived bias and his decisions to give opportunities to players like Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy. Despite these challenges, India bounced back with victories against England and continued their winning streak in the Champions Trophy, ultimately winning the title.

This victory solidified Gambhir’s position as a successful head coach, responding to all the doubts and criticisms surrounding his coaching career.