Kolkata: The Gautam Gambhir era is in top gear. For the Indian coach, performance matters more than reputation.
First, it was Ravichandran Ashwin, followed by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
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And now, Cheteshwar Pujara has also hung up his boots.
None of these legends willingly retired, but did they have any other option?
Well, Rohit and Virat still have a glimmer of hope. They are part of the ODI scheme.
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But their dream of playing in the 2027 World Cup might be wishful thinking.
All these big names struggled with their form and as a result, found themselves at the receiving end of Gambhir’s bold decisions.
Yes, Guru Gambhir has initiated the transition, ‘witnessing’ the exits of four stalwarts within a short period of time.
Ask Gambhir, and he would scoff at any speculations that he forced them to retire.
But even a novice would know the real reasons behind their exits.
A no-nonsense man, Gambhir doesn’t mince words.
Gambhir has the onerous task of taking Indian cricket forward, and he has his own techniques and strategies behind going about things.
Virat Kohli reportedly wanted Test captaincy after the disastrous series Down Under, but Gambhir put his foot down.
Also Read: Cheteshwar Pujara announces retirement from all forms of cricket
Rohit Sharma, too, wanted to continue in Tests, but his positions as both captain and player were at risk.
Pujara, out of contention for two years, nurtured ambitions of featuring in the whites again. But despite the shaky No. 3 slot in Tests, Gambhir remained adamant.
Ashwin’s position in the side was uncertain, and, reading the writings on the wall, he left midway during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Buoyed by the 2-2 draw in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Gambhir’s fortunes as coach in the longest format received a much-needed boost.
And he means business.
One of his brave moves was prodding the selectors to choose a young Shubman Gill as Test captain. It was a risky decision, but one that paid off. Now, there’s no looking back.
Among the remaining veterans, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja are in the twilight zone. Rahane is out of reckonings, but Jadeja continues to roar. It may be premature to write him off, but inconsistency could eventually do him in, too.
Gambhir did pay his ode to Pujara and he was all praise.
“He stood tall when the storm raged, he fought when hope was fading. Congratulations Pujj….,” Gambhir wrote.
But that stems more out of reverence but Gambhir has had his mission accomplished.
Over to Gambhir and Gill! Suryakumar Yadav, are you listening?
Yes, to reiterate, the Gambhir era is in top gear.