Gautam Gambhir wanted Cheteshwar Pujara for Australia tour; selectors rejected his request

It seems like all is not well between the Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and the Indian national selection committee. In an unexpected report doing rounds on the internet, it has been revealed that Gambhir was very angry with the way Indian players batted on Day 5 of the MCG Test.

Notably, Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, suffered an 184-run loss to Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to trail the five-match Test series by 1-2. 

Now, according to the reports published in The Indian Express, Gambhir had a brief discussion with the Indian selectors to re-include Cheteshwar Pujara for the Australia tour. However, selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, rejected the head coach’s request.

Interestingly, Gambhir had requested the re-inclusion of Pujara on multiple occasions - Initially, at the start of the tour, and secondly, right after India’s victory at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Regrettably, selectors ignored his multiple requests. 

It’s worth noting that Cheteshwar Pujara has played a total of 103 Tests at an average of 43.6. He played a pivotal role in India’s previous two series wins against Australia. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find a place in the Indian Test team since India’s exit from the WTC Final in 2023.

Notably, the Indian top-order failed to create an impact throughout the tour. Also, before the start of the series, Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood had a major relief after not seeing Pujara part of the Indian squad for the BGT 2024-25 series.

Gautam Gambhir wanted Harshit Rana in the playing XI

Moreover, Gautam Gambhir is reportedly not having a great time being in sync with the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in terms of the playing XI selection. Particularly, Gambhir wanted Harshit Rana in the XI, but couldn’t get enough support from the Indian dressing room.

Also, Gambhir was furious enough with the way Team India batted and executed plans on the field.

In conclusion, the reported tension between Gautam Gambhir and the Indian selection committee highlights the challenges faced by Team India during the Australia tour. Despite Gambhir's efforts to re-include Cheteshwar Pujara and his desire to see Harshit Rana in the playing XI, the selectors' decisions have led to disagreements. As the team prepares for the remaining matches, it will be crucial for the management to find common ground and focus on improving their performance.

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