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Irfan Pathan Takes Dig At Leaked Indian Dressing Room Drama After Melbourne Test Defeat

Rajgeeta∙ Updated: Jan 1 2025, 3:20 PM

India head coach Gautam Gambhir [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]India head coach Gautam Gambhir [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has reacted to recent reports that revealed secrets from the Indian dressing room. These reports claim that all is not well within the team, especially after India’s heavy defeat to Australia in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

According to the reports, coach Gautam Gambhir was upset with the players after their disappointing loss. He allegedly criticized them for not following the team strategy and doing their own thing. Gambhir reportedly told the players that if they didn’t stick to the team’s plans, they would be dropped from the squad.

The match was looking like it would end in a draw, but India collapsed on the final day, losing by 184 runs. Key players like Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal made poor decisions, which led to their wickets falling cheaply. Kohli was dismissed trying to hit a ball outside off, Pant gave away his wicket to part-timer Travis Head, and Jaiswal went for a pull shot despite the field being set for it.

Irfan Pathan responded to these reports on X (formerly Twitter) with a cryptic post saying, "What happens in the dressing room, should stay in the dressing room." 


Gautam Gambhir Wanted Cheteshwar Pujara

Another part of the report revealed that Gambhir had been pushing for the inclusion of veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, his requests were ignored by the selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar.

Gambhir reportedly asked for Pujara’s inclusion multiple times before the first Test in Perth, but the selectors didn’t act on it. Even after India’s victory in the Perth Test, Gambhir continued to request Pujara’s selection. Pujara, who has been a key player in India's previous series wins in Australia, hasn’t played for India since the World Test Championship final in 2023.

There have also been reports of tension between Gambhir, the selectors, and the captain when it comes to deciding the playing XI for the Australia series. Gambhir’s decisions, such as picking Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar, were not agreed upon by everyone in the dressing room. Additionally, Gambhir has reportedly been frustrated with how the players have failed to execute the team’s plans on the field.