Greg Chappell’s time as a coach didn’t end well when he tried to show too much authority. Anil Kumble struggled with being in the spotlight, but Gautam Gambhir seems ready to be the coach who has more power than the captain. In Indian cricket, we’ve seen plenty of instances where strong coaches had to step back because of player influence. Guys like Bishan Singh Bedi, Chappell, and Kumble, even though they were great players, didn’t get that they’d have to take a backseat. On the flip side, coaches like John Wright, Gary Kirsten, and Ravi Shastri understood this dynamic and did very well.
With Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin retiring, there aren’t many big names left on the Test team, giving Gambhir a chance to make some changes. According to sources in the BCCI, Gambhir aims to change the star-dominated culture of the team. The Gautam Gambhir era starts now. He’s made it clear that India needs fresh talent during the next WTC cycle, said a BCCI source, who wished to remain anonymous. Everyone involved with making decisions knows where Gambhir stands when it comes to younger players, they added.
In Indian cricket, the captain has usually been the main figure, often overshadowing the coaches, even those with strong backgrounds, like Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. That’s changing with Gambhir, who now seems to hold more power and will have the final say. The Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma era was short-lived, while the Rohit-Gambhir relationship never really clicked. Gambhir did come to an understanding with Kohli, as powerful figures acted as mediators.
For the first time, a coach actually has a say in phasing out big stars quickly. Still, power isn’t always straightforward. Gambhir wants the BCCI to back him properly so that disasters like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the New Zealand series at home don’t happen again. With Shubman Gill as a young captain who will likely listen to him, Gambhir is in a good spot for now, especially since Gill isn’t yet at a level where he can challenge Gambhir’s decisions.
The only player who might have spoken up is Jasprit Bumrah, but his fitness issues have gotten in the way. So, Gambhir should have plenty of power moving forward, just like he does in the T20 scene. The ODI setup is where he will have to be a bit more careful since Kohli and Rohit still want to play until the 2027 ODI World Cup.
