Drama in India ODI camp as 'seniors' ignore Gambhir, directly approach BCCI for clarity on role, future: Report

Team India cricket team">India cricket team">India cricket team">India cricket team">India returns to the 50-over format after nearly six months this week with the first of three ODIs against Afghanistan taking place in Dharamsala on Saturday. The upcoming series brings the spotlight back on the Men in Blue's road to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa and the role that the iconic duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play in that journey.

However, all's not well in the India camp, in the 50-over format at the very least, with some "senior players" reportedly bypassing head coach Gautam Gambhir and directly approaching the Board of Control for Cricket in India seeking clarity on their future in the ODI setup.

'Gill needs to have a stronger say in the dressing room'

Gambhir wields considerable influence on the Indian team in the Test and T20I formats, but the same cannot be said in the 50-over format. And according to a report, the Gambhir-led team management and the aforementioned senior players aren't on the same page, making for a tricky situation not just for the head coach but also for chief selector Ajit Agarkar and Shubman Gill, India's captain in the Test and ODI format.

"With such big players in the team, Gill needs to have a stronger say in the dressing room. Gambhir hasn't got involved in the planning as intently as he has done in the other two formats. So far, he has let things take their course," a BCCI source told.

"Now that the focus has shifted to the preparation for the ODI World Cup, one may expect Gambhir and Gill to take charge and firmly communicate their ideas in the dressing room. It is important that the senior players, who have served India with distinction for so many years, are conveyed what role the team expects them to play and the plan for the build-up over the next 16 months," the source added.

There has been considerable discussion surrounding Rohit and Kohli's place in the ODI team, where they play as an opener and at the No 3 spot respectively. While Kohli has been in red-hot form in recent months, Rohit had an underwhelming run with the bat in India's last ODI assignment in January and has also had issues with his fitness in the Indian Premier League recently.

The two former India captains have retired from Tests as well as T20Is and remain active only in ODIs as far as international cricket is concerned. And they will be hoping to bid international cricket goodbye at next year's World Cup, where Rohit will be hoping to lift the one trophy that has eluded him throughout his career.