Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 | Dressing-room talks should remain private, asserts Gambhir

The Indian head coach also left a question on Rohit Sharma's availability for the final Test hanging.

Sydney: For the first time since the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, head coach Gautam Gambhir attended a new conference amid reports of discord within the team following India's defeat in the Boxing Day Test.

Reports in a section of the media claimed that the former India opener engaged in candid discussions with the players -- a practice that is not unusual in itself after a big loss. However, making such conversations public inevitably fuels further speculation. Without outrightly denying the claims, Gambhir underscored the importance of keeping dressing-room discussions private.

"Those are just reports, not the truth," Gambhir said when asked what conversations he had and the messages he sent  across. "And I don't think I need to answer to any reports, to be honest. And there are some honest words (between him and players), that's all I can say. And honesty is very important. Honesty is extremely important if you want to probably go on and achieve some great things." 

Gambhir said further: "The debate between a player and a coach should be between them. You just look at the results. And unfortunately, this sport is only for the result. But the conversation should (remain) between two individuals and in the dressing room. It should be there." 

Gambhir also left a question on Rohit Sharma's availability for the final Test hanging.   

"The thing is everything is fine with Rohit and I don't think there's any tradition (for a captain to attend pre-match press-do). I think the head coach is here, that should be good enough. As I just said, we will have a look at the wicket and probably announce our playing 11 tomorrow."

When asked again if the skipper would play, Gambhir snapped back saying: "The answer remains the same."

With younger players stepping in and senior players either departing or nearing the end of their careers, Gambhir was asked about his approach to ensuring a seamless transition. The feisty Delhiite emphasised that honesty was key to a smooth transition and made it clear that only performance -- whether from players or coaches -- would determine who remains in the dressing room.

"I'll tell you one thing -- Indian cricket will always be in safe hands till the time you've got honest people sitting in that (change) room," he noted. "And honesty is the most important thing for any transition. It is not about phasing out senior players or getting the youngsters in. Ultimately the only thing that can keep you in that dressing room is the performance and it starts from all of us; not only from the players from the coaches as well. The kind of talent there is in Indian cricket, I think we will always be in safe hands. 

While conceding that there will be losses along the way, Gambhir called for patience with young players -- both from the coaches and the media. 

"Yes, there'll be times when we might not get the results, there'll be times where we will have to be patient," he said. "More importantly, rather than only criticising the young players, I think we've got to give them time to develop as well. They'll end up becoming world-class players as well.

"And that is what is important. And it is the role of not only the support staff, but you (media) people as well. How you can probably not only criticise them, but try and help them out as well. Transition is not only for us. Transition happens for the entire country and all of us are in it together."