Nothing is going well between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Indian national cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In a shocking development, Gautam Gambhir has been kept away from press conferences since December 6, 2025, after a series of explosive appearances in the media which reportedly stretched BCCI’s patience to the limit.
There is a rift in the relationship between BCCI and Gautam Gambhir
As reported by RevSportz journalist Rohit Juglan, the BCCI took this drastic decision after the controversies escalated rather than any single incident. Over several weeks, Gautam Gambhir’s press conferences repeatedly created crises within the BCCI hierarchy, and his strong opinions gradually turned into a situation that the board felt was spiraling out of control.
The Indian head coach made some not-so-good comments during the Australia and England tours, but the board started to feel frustrated after the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata, where Gambhir spoke openly about the pitch and claimed that it was what the team wanted.
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These comments reportedly did not go down well with senior board officials, who believed that at a sensitive time when the team was already struggling, such statements only added to the pressure and unnecessary debate. Soon after, more questions were raised in the press conference about the team selection, especially Gautam Gambhir’s preference for all-rounders over specialist players in Test cricket.
There was apparent confusion over the clarity of roles and critics started pointing fingers. Former players and fans openly questioned the direction of the Test team and Gambhir’s responses in the media further fueled the discussion. The situation worsened after India lost the home Test series 0–2 to South Africa in November 2025.
When Gambhir was asked about his responsibility and his future, he appeared defiant. He pointed to his success in white-ball cricket, including ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup wins last year, and many felt he was focusing on Test failures rather than directly addressing them.
BCCI action started after clash with Parth Jindal
But the breaking point reportedly came when Gambhir publicly reacted to Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal’s comments. After the Test series defeat against South Africa last year, Jindal had suggested that India needed a “separate red-ball coach”.
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Gambhir protested strongly in a press conference and clarified that “outsiders should not interfere in the affairs of the national team.” Although he did not take Jindal’s name initially, the aim was clear and the comment did not go down well with BCCI officials.
He reportedly felt that publicly attacking a franchise owner crossed a line and was not part of the head coach’s role. By then the situation had become very bad, one dispute overshadowed the other. The board’s patience was repeatedly tested and, finally, after the December 6 press conference a clear message was delivered: “There will be no more public appearances.”
Gambhir’s tenure since taking over as head coach in July 2024 has been intense, outspoken and controversial. Given that the BCCI has ensured that there should be no personal hold on unchecked power within the system and controls on messaging have been tightened, that is why Gambhir has been kept away from the media.
