File image of Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas.© AFP

File image of Virat Kohli and Nathan Lyon.© AFP

Gautam Gambhir‘s stint as Team India’s head coach has not been a bed of roses, and neither has seemingly been his equation with his support staff. With Gambhir and his support staff – particularly Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate – under scrutiny from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a report has revealed a dressing room dispute. The report states that bowling coach Morne Morkel was reprimanded by Gautam Gambhir during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour for arriving late to training.

As per the report by the Times of India, Morkel had reported late to training due to a personal meeting, but was reprimanded by Gambhir at the ground itself.

The report says that Morkel had been rather reserved during the crucial five-match Test tour, and that the onus is on the duo to sort the issue out and ensure it does not hamper the team.

“Gambhir is very strict about discipline. He reprimanded Morkel immediately at the ground. The board has been told that Morkel was a bit reserved during the tour. It’s up to these two to sort it out for the team to function smoothly,” a BCCI source reportedly told the newspaper.

Gambhir’s assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate are already being scrutinised by the BCCI, with the importance of their roles reportedly being questioned. The incident with Morkel does no good to the perceived harmony between Gambhir, his support staff and the team.

Earlier, it had also been reported that Gambhir and his support staff have a much more objective manner of communication towards players in the team, who had grown accustomed to the more empathetic style from the Rahul Dravid era.

It is important to note that Gambhir had himself singled out Morkel as the bowling coach for the team, having labelled him as the “fiercest bowler” he had faced during his playing career.

Gambhir also brought in Morkel as the bowling coach during the former’s time at Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and the duo achieved two Indian Premier League (IPL) play-off finishes in their two years together.

Morkel and Gambhir’s relationship also stretches back to over a decade ago, with Morkel being bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) under Gambhir’s leadership ahead of IPL 2014, when the two won a title together.

File image of Gautam Gambhir.© BCCI

File image of Jasprit Bumrah.© AFP

File image of Jasprit Bumrah.© AFP

Shubman Gill did not enjoy a good Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After missing the first Test due to injury, Gill could not perform in the second and third Tests, leading to him being dropped for the fourth. When he came back for the fifth Test, Gill once again failed to score big despite getting a start. Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Subramaniam Badrinath has lashed out at Gill, stating that had he been from another state, he would’ve been dropped from the side.

“If this was Shubman Gill from Tamil Nadu, he would have been dropped,” Badrinath was quoted as telling Star Sports Tamil by Hindustan Times.

“It is very difficult for me to see this. For that level, he has not lived up to expectations. You can get runs, you cannot, but there should have been intent and aggression. I wanted him to tire out the bowlers. I want you to make the ball old. Help your teammates and stand firm even if runs are not coming. Play 100 balls, tire the bowlers,” Badrinath said.

Gill scored only 93 runs in the three Tests that he played, with a best score of just 31.

Badrinath’s criticism for Gill did not stop there, as he stated that Gill had even been a liability on the field.

“You must not go there and say, oh, this is the way I play. I will stand and deliver. Whatever you can do, at that time, you try to do. In this series, I did not get it from Shubman. Even on the field, he was poor. He couldn’t stay in slip and point. What does he contribute to the team?,” Badrinath stated.

Hailed as one of India’s stars for the future, Gill plays for Punjab in domestic cricket, and has even worked under the tutelage of legendary India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. Badrinath, on the other hand, hails from Tamil Nadu, and he played seven ODIs, two Tests and one T20I for the national team.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins’ status as a modern-day great went up a notch following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series win against India on Sunday, adding one more trophy to his cabinet that shows no signs of shrinking down. The moment debutant Beau Webster hit the winning runs, millions of Australians worldwide watching the match live from the stadium or the comfort of their home let out a huge sigh of relief, as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was back in Allan Border’s country after a wait of 10 years.

The gold stayed with Team India for 10 years after two spicy bilateral series at home and away each. India’s 2020-21 series win stands as one of the most inspirational chapters of the sport as Ajinkya Rahane led India overcame the ’36-all-out’ debacle from the first Test, the absence of key and experienced players due to injuries, most notably Virat Kohli who was expecting his first child with wife Anushka Sharma and consequent inexperience.

However, Cummins delivered a fine performance both as a captain and player, avenging two successive losses at home in the most emphatic manner, fitting the stature and quality of ICC World Test Championship holders. Not only he ended as the side’s top wicket-taker with 25 scalps at an average of 21.36, with a five-wicket haul to his name, but he also chipped in 159 useful runs in eight innings, with knocks of 49 and 41 during the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne being his most valuable contributions. The 31-year-old’s tactical brilliance, relentless hit-the-deck bowling and ability to deliver crucial knocks, wickets during clutch moments paid off big time.

After being appointed as Test captain in 2021 and taking over as the ODI captain in 2022, the journey has been upwards and just upwards for Cummins. Since then, he has retained the Ashes by ensuring a 2-2 series draw away from home in the UK and became India’s biggest heart-breaker and nightmare by beating them in the ICC World Test Championship and ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 last year and now by capturing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to end India’s golden run against Australia in Tests.

Cummins starred in the Ashes series with 18 wickets (fourth-highest) at an average of 37.72 with the best figures of 6/91 and also made 162 runs with his bat in nine innings, worth its weight in gold, at an average of 23.14 with best score of 44.

In the ICC World Test Championship final, Cummins secured a total of four wickets, including 3/83 in the first innings. His first innings tally included wickets of skipper Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane.

During the 50-over marquee event in India, Cummins took 15 wickets, at an average of 34.33, with best figures of 3/51. He also delivered a magnificent spell of 2/34 in the final, which included the prized wicket of Virat Kohli. With the bat, he managed 128 crucial runs at an average of 32.00, with best score of 37. This also included a calm and composed knock of 12* in 68 balls, that helped Glenn Maxwell (201*) secure a crucial win against Afghanistan single-handedly while chasing a target of 292 runs.

Now during this recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Cummins has once again delivered an all-timer campaign, frustrating bowlers with his batting just when India thought they had Aussies down and took wickets just when batters started to look threatening.

Is Cummins in the conversations of all-time greatest Australian cricketers yet?

It was not at all surprising that Rishabh Pant bulldozed the Australian attack with his stroke-play in the second innings but his ultra-defensive approach on the opening day indeed was, Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said on Saturday. Pant had laboured to 40 off 98 balls, taking multiple blows on his body during his 149-minute stay on the wicket. Pant had said that he was not in a frame of mind to attack. Pant, though, changed the gears effortlessly in the second innings, hitting Mitchell Starc for two massive sixes. Scott Boland and Beau Webster were not spared either as they too were lofted for a six each.

“First of all, it’s not surprising, the way he plays. We were in fact a little bit surprised in the first innings, the way he went about his work. He’s got an incredible ability to put pressure back on to bowlers,” McDonald said, doffing his hat to India’s biggest match-winner in Test cricket in recent years.

However, Australia didn’t allow Pant to completely walk away as Pat Cummins dismissed him just when things looked like getting out of hand.

“We’re planning for that though, we’ll plan leading into the summer. We bounced in and out of a few plans there and clearly kept taking on the boundary riders and was getting away with it and no, it was an innings that you would say was right for that time.”

Boland has been difficult match-up for Kohli

Virat Kohli has been out eight times in his nine innings while fishing at deliveries on or outside the off-stump and Australia head coach praised his bowlers, especially Scott Boland, who sent back the India stalwart four times in five Tests.

Does it seem easy to get Kohli out? “No, it’s never easy to get Virat out,” McDonald, trying to contain his smile of satisfaction.

“I give full credit to the bowlers and the execution of the plan. It’s one thing to have a plan, but then to be able to execute is another thing. It’s put him (Kohli) under immense pressure. And, look, he’s tried some things.” “He’s tried walking out of his crease. He’s tried different tactics as well. But clearly that relentless nature of our bowlers, in particular, Scottie (Boland), the ‘match-up’ has been incredibly difficult for him to combat. But he’s never an easy wicket, no.”

This is a pitch for even contests

The traditional SCG wicket is usually a batting paradise and also helps the spinners towards the end but the ongoing Test has unfolded on a green top with variable bounce on offer.

McDonald did not hide his appreciation for the ground staff for preparing a fair track.

“The ground staff have done an incredible job in terms of, creating a wicket with something in it. Traditionally here it’s quite benign and we’ve had a lot of draws, so a lot of people have been talking about the draws, so you’re damned if you do it and damned if you don’t. So this game’s sped up.

“I think he’s trying to produce an even contest between bat and ball. There’s no doubt about that. It’s made for interesting cricket.

Jasprit Bumrah’s incredible performance has prevented the Border-Gavaskar series from becoming completely lopsided in Australia’s favour, said pace great Glenn McGrath, lauding the India spearhead for his ball-control and ability to adapt quickly. India trail 1-2 in the five-match series that will conclude with the game here starting Friday. Bumrah has been the visiting side’s standout performer with 30 wickets so far at a jaw-dropping average of less than 20. India’s batting, however, has been poor and lacked planning.

“He has been a massive part of the Indian team and without him, the series might have been more one-sided and what he does is special,” McGrath told media-persons on the sidelines of his foundation’s cancer awareness event here.

The 54-year-old, who was among the most consistent and dreaded pacers of his era, has been actively involved in cancer awareness programmes after losing his wife Jane to the disease back in 2008.

He has been following the ongoing series and much like the rest of Australia, he too is bowled over by the Gujarat slinger’s amazing skill-set.

“Terrific young guy who has found a way to adapt. Absolutely incredible how he powers into bowl the last few steps,” McGrath said of Bumrah’s short run-up.

The man with 563 Test wickets also found eerie similarities between him and the Indian in terms of hyper-extension of their arms (when the elbow joint bends backward beyond its normal range).

He said it allows them to land the ball a few inches further.

“Got a little bit of hyper extension which I used to have as well. He is coping with it, he has incredible control both ways, guess they are managing him well. I am a massive fan of Jasprit,” said the lanky former bowler, who was nicknamed ‘Pigeon’ by his teammates for his thin legs.

Having worked at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, McGrath is impressed with the talent pool in India and said one of his wards, Prasidh Krishna, has a bright future.

“India, with 1.4 billion people, have absolute passion for the game of cricket. Working with MRF Pace Foundation for the last 12 years, we have Prasidh Krishna, who is in the squad.

“He is a good young bowler and I think, they will have a good career ahead of him. There’s no shortage of players and (it is) not just the bowlers but also batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal.

“What’s good about these young players is they are fearless. We have got Sam Konstas who is similar.” McGrath was also glad to see that Test cricket is well and truly alive given that record crowds showed up to watch the fourth Test in Melbourne.

“The cricket that was played in Melbourne was amazing and it lasted all five days with Australia getting over the line in the final session and 370,000 fans turning up has been absolutely incredible, because Test cricket is still the ultimate.

“We need to look after (it) but the Boxing Day Test tells me that Test cricket is alive and hopefully, we will see something similar over here,” he said.

He is also confident that Mitchell Starc will be fit and available for the final Test here. But will Australia risk him? ” It also depends on the state of the Test series and it is a massive game. Australia haven’t beaten India in the last two (Border-Gavaskar) series and that is unheard of.

“This is a massive Test. Guess it will be upto Mitch and he will do anything possible to play the match.”