• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Fresh Controversy In India Camp Player Unhappy With Biased Gautam Gambhir

Fresh Controversy In India Camp! Player Unhappy With 'Biased' Gautam Gambhir

Soumyajit Dutta

Rishabh Pant and Gautam Gambhir [Source: @7Cricket/X.com]Rishabh Pant and Gautam Gambhir [Source: @7Cricket/X.com]

Story continues below ADVERTISEMENT

India will launch their quest for a record third ICC Champions Trophy title on February 20, taking on Bangladesh at Dubai International Stadium in a high-stakes Group A opener. The Rohit Sharma-led squad, fresh off a dominant series whitewash against England, enters the tournament as one of the favourites. 

However, off-field rumblings threaten to cast a shadow over their preparations, with reports emerging of discontent within the camp. According to a Times Now exclusive, an active Indian wicketkeeper-batter is allegedly frustrated with head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Gambhir Accused For Biasness

According to the reports, the 'unhappy' player is dissatisfied with Gambhir and claimed that "external factors" unrelated to cricketing merit influenced his exclusion from the setup. While the report did not confirm whether the player is part of the Champions Trophy squad, speculation swirls around the team’s wicketkeeping choices. 

KL Rahul hailed as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter, and Rishabh Pant, still regaining his white-ball rhythm after a career-threatening accident, are the two options. While the former can be directly omitted from being the player in concern, the same cannot be spoken about Pant. 

As per sources, ahead of the SCG Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Gambhir was rumoured to be frustrated and unhappy with Pant for not sticking to the game plan and playing aggressively. Nevertheless, the controversy adds intrigue to India’s campaign, with squad harmony under scrutiny as they aim to dominate the Champions Trophy stage.

India's Road for Champions Trophy

Placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, India face a tricky path to the semifinals. While Bangladesh’s recent ODI record against India is underwhelming, their penchant for springing surprises in ICC events, coupled with India’s internal distractions, could level the playing field. 

New Zealand’s tactical acumen and Pakistan’s flair further complicate the equation. Group B, featuring Australia, England, South Africa, and Afghanistan, promises equally fierce competition, with only two teams advancing from each pool.