India head coach Gautam Gambhir hit back at Ricky Ponting after the former Australian captain criticized Virat Kohli’s recent Test form ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Ponting expressed concern over Kohli’s stats, noting that he has scored only two Test centuries in the last five years.
Referring to a conversation with Sanjay Manjrekar, Ponting suggested that any player with such numbers might struggle to retain a place in most international teams. Responding to Ponting’s comments, Gambhir fired back, advising him to focus on Australia’s lineup rather than India’s.
The exchange stirred up tension, especially with Manjrekar, who voiced his disapproval of Gambhir’s remarks on social media. Manjrekar suggested that the BCCI should reconsider Gambhir’s role in public interactions, claiming that the former opener lacked the right approach for media duties.
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“Just watched Gambhir in the press conference. Maybe wise for @BCCI to keep him away from such duties; let him work behind the scenes. He does not have the right demeanour nor the words when interacting with them. Rohit & Agarkar, much better guys to front up for the media,” Manjrekar posted on X (formerly Twitter), proposing that captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar would better represent India in the media.
Just watched Gambhir in the press conference.
May be wise for @BCCI to keep him away from such duties, let him work behind the scenes. He does not have the right demeanour nor the words when interacting with them. Rohit & Agarkar, much better guys to front up for the media.— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) November 11, 2024
Meanwhile, Gambhir reiterated his focus on the upcoming series rather than the World Test Championship (WTC) final. For India to secure a place in the WTC final, a 4-0 series win over Australia is essential, or the team’s qualification may rely on the performance of other teams in their remaining matches.
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As the Indian squad prepares, a group of players has already arrived in Perth, with the remaining members scheduled to leave on November 11. Practice sessions at the WACA begin on November 12, though not all players are expected to train immediately due to their travel schedules. The second group, along with Gambhir, will join the camp upon their arrival.
