A crisis seems to be brewing inside the Indian cricket dressing room lately. Reports suggest things aren’t smooth between Ravindra Jadeja and head coach Gautam Gambhir. The second Test against South Africa has exposed some serious cracks in team unity.
What Happened During the South Africa Test
India got absolutely hammered by 408 runs in the second Test match. The team collapsed for just 140 runs while chasing a massive 549-run target. This was one of India’s worst home defeats in recent memory honestly.
Ravindra Jadeja scored 54 runs off 87 balls in that second innings. He was the only Indian batter who actually looked comfortable out there. Everyone else played super carefully because Gautam Gambhir apparently wanted a defensive approach throughout.
But Jadeja didn’t follow those instructions from the coach at all. He went out and played his natural attacking game instead of blocking. This defiance has reportedly created tension between the star all-rounder and Gambhir now.
Growing Frustration in the Dressing Room
Players are whispering about favouritism happening under Gambhir’s coaching style these days. Some cricketers feel the coach picks his favourites for important matches regularly. This creates bad vibes among squad members who work equally hard.
Gambhir makes all the big decisions about batting orders and bowling changes. He basically acts like a non-playing captain during matches from the sidelines. Several senior players aren’t happy with this controlling approach at all anymore.
The pitch conditions confused everyone during the Test series against South Africa. Players had different opinions about how the wicket was behaving throughout. Nobody seemed to be on the same page about strategy either.
Gambhir’s Sudden Exit Raises Questions
Here’s what shook everyone after that loss in Guwahati. Gautam Gambhir left the team instantly and flew back home without staying. Most coaches stick around after losses to support their players through tough times.
His sudden departure raised eyebrows across Indian cricket circles and media outlets. People are questioning his commitment to the team during this difficult phase. Walking away right after a historic defeat doesn’t look good honestly.
Ravindra Jadeja might be thinking about his Test future seriously now given everything. The relationship with Gambhir seems broken beyond repair at this point. Retirement rumours are floating around, though nothing’s confirmed yet from either side officially.
