Gautam Gambhir Addresses “Indiscipline” in Team India, Suggests New Amendments to BCCI: Report

| Posted on January 25, 2025
Gautam Gambhir suggestions to BCCI

Do you know about the recent statements made by Gautam Gambhir? The situation has been quite tense between the head coach and the rest of the team. Gambhir has been making several changes and not everyone is happy with that. 

We’ve dug deeper into this situation and here are the things that you need to know why Gautam Gambhir calls out “indiscipline” in team India and proposes new rules to BCCI. 

Identifying the Issues within the Team

Gambhir thinks his current crop of players is quite undisciplined and wants stricter guidelines in place for the crew. Following a loss in the Border-Gavaskar series, Gambhir spoke about the unbridled manners of his players in the dressing room during the review meeting.

While there were no specific disclosures from that review meeting, reports have shown various other player actions that have dissatisfied the manager. The team put up a disappointing cricket show in Sri Lanka, Australia, during the home series against New Zealand.

Consequently, the former Indian opener said the BCCI would return to pre-COVID rules of allowing families for two weeks of the tour. Reports claimed that Gambhir and the players could reach a middle ground on the topic of family stay.

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Examples of Indiscipline in Recent Matches

One of the most significant points addressed at the meeting concerned players not following protocols – an acknowledgment that eventually hurt the overall dressing room ambiance.

For instance, players were reportedly found traveling on their own to the series, with some athletes taking private transportation outside the team bus. Some other players were also reported to have spent less than enough time with the group at the squad training sessions.

Such disparities in movements have affected peer group dynamics in different ways, while also impacting their corporate work ethic. Only recently, in December, the Indian cricket team faced an unwelcome snag when Rohit Sharma expressed displeasure over a player’s late arrival during their stay in Brisbane. 

Reports showed that the athlete, Yashasvi Jaiswal, arrived 20 minutes late to the hotel lobby, resulting in the group bus leaving without him. The incident happened hours before they were meant to board their flight for a crucial third Test match against Australia. 

Patterns Affecting Team Performance and Morale

Team India conceded a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Australia in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025, losing the opportunity to qualify for the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s.

Going by the team’s performance and demonstrated on-pitch morale, let’s see some patterns that gave Team India off as an inconsistent side that might need some pruning to perform better.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli came under fire for an underwhelming Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign and an overall, significantly disappointing, 2024/25 Test cricket season. Both athletes lacked big time with the bat, as Kohli fell for the outside-off-stump trap throughout the series.

Most notably, the skipper got dismissed for falling for the outside-off-stump trap by Scott Boland four times during the campaign. With such a miserable outing, “Ro-Ko” could only register abysmal digits during the season’s matches.

Rohit scored only 164 runs in eight matches and 15 innings at an average of 10.93 with a best score of 52. Virat scored a shambolic 382 runs in 10 matches and 19 innings at an average of 22.87, with only a century and fifty each. 

Public Perception of Team Professionalism

Team Professionalism

With such public disapproval over his team’s professionalism, Team India and manager Gambhir would no doubt come under further public assessment or scrutiny for their actions.

Like Reddit user, @Dry-Supermarket7115 said on the forum, everyone seems concerned about the source of this abysmal show from Team India. ‘‘The dressing room was seemingly in a healthy state until a few months ago. I wonder what changed,’’ the user said. 

Kross_Control, another Reddit user, commented on the situation to shed further light on it. ‘‘There have been talks of this Indian team taking the field with no strategy at all,’’ he began. ‘‘And this report, if true, tells us that the so-called seniors in the team don’t respect him enough for the job.

Gambhir is an experienced politician. He knows the power dynamics and the power of the two. This is why, as one of his first acts as Indian coach, he sat down with the King to bury the hatchet.’’

r/Kross_Control isn’t the only user who thinks some of the team’s morale and work ethic displays may partly be due to a disregard for the manager. ‘‘Not sure if Gambhir is respected enough in the room,’’ wrote FeeVisual8960 on the online forum. ‘You’d typically want a senior person to be a coach. [Gambhir] has shared the room with so many of these guys (international or IPL).’’

However, some other members of the public may claim the manager is pointing accusing fingers at everyone else due to the desire to keep his job. Regardless of the true situation of things, everyone is forced to await the fruits of Gambhir’s proposed solutions to the BCCI.

Gambhir’s Proposed Solutions to the BCCI

Gambhir’s Proposed Solutions to the BCCI

Gambhir’s observations are the reason why the BCCI will revert to pre-COVID rules, per the report. One of these rules included reduced family presence while the staff was on tour. Going forward, the BCCI would allow only two weeks of family presence for athletes on tour.

Reports claim that both Gautam and the players are on the same page regarding the topic of family stays. Incidentally, the BCCI has reportedly taken steps to stamp Gambhir’s suggestions of limited family time.

Establishing a Code of Conduct for Players

For a tour of 45 days, players’ family members can only be with them for no more than 14 days. Meanwhile, during shorter tours on foreign grounds, immediate family members can stay up to a week.

Additionally, players will be barred from taking independent transport to commute during practice and matches. A senior player on the team suggested a bold move during a recent meeting.

He reportedly recommended withholding match fees from players who choose to skip domestic tournaments. But those aren’t the only items or regulations that the BCCI is set to place on players.

In a bid to further enforce discipline, the BCCI has chosen to prevent players from traveling with personal staff, including cooks, hairdressers, stylists, or personal security guards, during tours.

The new code of conduct is aimed at ensuring a more professional and unified team culture while prioritizing the development of cricket at all levels of youth teams, T20 teams, and box cricket plays.

Implementing Performance-Based Accountability

Meanwhile, a senior Indian cricket player, who attended the meeting alongside coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, asked the BCCI chiefs not to delay distributing match fees to players immediately after matches.

Instead, Agarkar suggested that the board consider players’ performances before disbursing their funds. However, it’s worth noting that there are yet no official reports of the BCCI implementing Agarkar’s performance-based remunerations.

Focus on Fitness and Commitment Benchmarks

Further reports show that Gambhir is canvassing for higher accountability from senior and junior players. Contrary to group protocols, players were seen dining out together – a sight that the coach found unsightly.

Meanwhile, sources revealed that only one official team dinner took place during the entire period of the tour from November 2024 to January 2025, in a bid to keep a fit crew and abide by commitment benchmarks.

Reactions to Gambhir’s Suggestions

 Gambhir’s Suggestions

Cricketing experts and analysts have reacted to Gambhir’s suggestions across the country. Additionally, former Indian cricketers have weighed in on the situation, following news about the manager’s suggestions.

Of course, some players have also publicly expressed their views on the stricter regulations. Let’s see a handful of these reactions.

Opinions from Cricketing Experts and Analysts

Many experts have approved the BCCI’s decision to impose stricter disciplines. Sanjay Manjrekar, a former Indian cricket commentator and former cricketer, claimed that “Bollywood culture has seeped into Indian cricket,” supporting the new rules.

On the contrary, Sandeep Dwivedi, sports journalist with The Indian Express, has described Gambhir’s suggestions as possibly ‘‘reactionary’’ rather than ‘‘reasonable.’’ He likened it to a ‘‘no play, no TV’’ child grounding following a poor report card from the ward.

To this journalist, the punishment is irrational, unimplementable, and ultimately, irrational. Dwivedi thinks the gaffer will need to learn the subtle art of man-management.

Analysts are also calling for Gambhir to embrace malleability while adopting a system that acknowledges the rare input of star athletes to a team’s overall morale and performances. Ultimately, experts think Gambhir would do well to find a middle ground in pursuit of a solution to the team’s woes – one that puts the team’s best interest at heart.

Response from Former Indian Cricketers

During a video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra, the former India opener reflected on some of those rules. For instance, Chopra wondered why the BCCI had to make a rule for players to be present for the entirety of a practice session.

‘‘I am as clueless as you are. However, I am being forced to think that if this is being given in writing to the players, and they are being told that this is now mandatory, would people run away from practice sessions early? It’s a very interesting one.’’

Similarly, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan was reportedly surprised to see the BCCI bring a policy change to ensure players stay together at the same hotel on tours. Reacting to the news, Pathan on X wrote, “Even the greatest players in the past stayed in the same hotels as the rest of the Indian team. How was staying in a separate hotel allowed in the first place?

Player Perspectives on Stricter Regulations

Family time is important,” agrees Ajay Mehra, former Punjab batter and commentator, in an exclusive interview with Firstpost. However, he admits that international cricket is not easy,” and will consequently demand some level of concentration from the team. I think that these rules will be good for Indian cricket,” Mehra concluded.

Thankfully, reports show that the players have generally agreed with the team’s management on family time rules. Besides that, there haven’t been any specific public comments from contracted players about the stricter regulations.

Perhaps, the players hope to respond with better on-field performances that may return them to the country’s good books, based on seasonal form.

The Importance of Discipline in Cricket

Here, we explore the importance of discipline in cricket, taking a cue from history. We’ll also highlight how discipline translates to consistent results, plus potential lessons for future players in the Indian cricket setup.

Historical Examples of Disciplined Teams Succeeding 

Virat Kohli

Sachin Tendulkar’s experience in the Oz tour of 2004 gives a prime example of how discipline could change a player’s performance remarkably. During the tour, Tendulkar was regularly getting dismissed playing the cover drive in the recent matches.

Reacting to these dismissals, he uncorked his finest innings of 241 without playing a single cover drive. He couldn’t have achieved such feats without much discipline, because he had the most picturesque cover drive in the world.

Virat Kohli, who held (and still holds) the world record of maximum score in ODIs, tended to fish outside the off stump several years ago. But with tremendous discipline, he mastered the art of leaving balls in the off-stump line.

The result is apparent to everyone. The team gained one of the best players to date, who has helped it achieve many feats over the years.

How Discipline Translates into Consistent Results

Discipline is no doubt the hallmark of the game of cricket. The need for discipline becomes even more apparent in Test Cricket, as many star athletes have fizzled out due to lack of discipline.

Here’s why Gambhir’s call for a more disciplined side may be significantly handy in helping a star-studded Team India remain in their prime for longer.

Lessons for Future Players in the Indian Cricket Setup

Should the new BCCI rules hold for long, future players in the Indian cricket setup will find themselves operating in a world that’s significantly different from those of (some of) their forebears.

For instance, younger players will learn to keep their cool, despite rising stardom and trophies. They’ll also learn to pursue team spirit and achievement over personal luxury to ensure that the teams achieve maximally in all competitions. 

Challenges in Enforcing Stricter Rules

Such a strict rule won’t come without challenges in an established cricketing nation like India. Here are potential challenges that could face the BCCI’s attempt to enforce stricter rules on players.

Resistance from Players and Management

There’s no doubt that players are mostly on the receiving end of these harsher rules. While no player has made any public statement regarding the rule, there’ll be no surprise if some athletes fence themselves off one or two entries in the new rule book.

There could also be some measure of resistance from members of various managerial boards in the national team, who find the new rules akin to some outdated Kabaddi rules that don’t particularly find application in cricket.

However, what appears most pliable for the BCCI, is finding a balance between two extremes.

Balancing Discipline with Freedom of Play

As Dwivedi suggested, the BCCI looks poised to exploit their players’ potential best if they learn to balance discipline with freedom of play. Team India is undisputedly a star-studded side with players who are getting used to living large.

Clipping their wings too hard may directly or indirectly tell on their freedom and ability to express themselves on the pitch. In the end, Gambhir (and the BCCI) wants progressive results from the team – something they can only achieve when players are at their best, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Ensuring Uniform Application Across All Levels

Notably, there’s also a potential case of the BCCI going too hard on the senior team while treating younger sides with less scrutiny or toughness. For instance, it’ll be unsavory to have Senior Team players being penalized for leaving training sessions too quickly while leaving younger teams with more flexibility.

Such inconsistencies could tell wrongly about Gambhir’s intentions and possibly negatively impact players’ passion and interests in playing for the national sides.

The Potential Impact of Gambhir’s Recommendations

As it stands, there’s no telling exactly how Gambhir’s recommendations could impact Indian cricket. However, with the level of support the gaffer enjoys from the BCCI, and the release of a 10-point Diktat, per NDTV news Hindi report, chances are his recommendations could have some long-term effects on the nation’s most loved sport. 

Long-Term Benefits for Indian Cricket

Should Gambhir’s recommendations hold sway – at least for a significant time – they could impose immense long-term benefits on the game. Among various potential advantages, Indian cricket may earn itself a notable reputation as a sport that deserves immense professionalism, competitiveness, and sportsmanship across all levels, inspiring the younger generation to give their best for the game and country.

Setting a Global Standard for Team Discipline

Additionally, Gambhir’s recommendations could also set a new standard for team discipline on the global front. The manager, who already had a reputation for downplaying celebrity players and big names, may just go on to establish a louder reputation as a strict disciplinarian worth listening to – especially if his plans go well.

Anyone could expect other national teams in the International Cricket Council to take a leaf from Gambhir’s suggestions should the team register significant improvements in the short and long term.

Improving Professionalism and Competitiveness

Many former Indian cricketers are surprised about the level of professionalism displayed by the team, based on the need to pen down such regulations. While there are no founded reasons why professionalism and competitiveness may have dipped in the national team recently. 

Such stricter measures could place higher demands on current and future athletes. Ultimately, we might just expect a national team whose professionalism and competitiveness become a global pattern for other countries to follow, anytime soon.

Conclusion

While some experts describe the new BCCI policy document as reading like a “primary school handbook for parents” that may not solve India T20 Team’s woes, others feel Gambhir’s propositions are a step in the right direction.

However, we can only wait in the short term to see the immediate impacts of the proposed rules on players, teams, and Indian cricket at large.




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