As the cricketing calendar intensifies, Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of the Indian national team, has recently addressed critical issues surrounding team selection and the pressures faced by young players. Gambhir's comments come amidst a busy schedule, with the Indian team fresh off a 2-0 Test series victory against the West Indies and preparing for an upcoming tour of Australia consisting of 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is.
One of the key points Gambhir addressed was the criticism directed towards 23-year-old fast bowler Harshit Rana, who was selected for the upcoming ODI series in Australia. Former player and ex-chief selector Kris Srikkanth insinuated that Rana's selection was due to his personal connection with Gambhir, fostered during their time together at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where Gambhir served as a mentor.
Gambhir vehemently refuted these claims, calling them "shameful" and "unfair" to the young cricketer. He emphasized that selections are based on performance and merit, not personal equations. "He has played cricket on his own merit and he will continue to do so," Gambhir stated, defending Rana's credentials. He also pointed out that Rana has taken 19 wickets in 10 games across three formats. Gambhir urged critics to target his own performance instead of unfairly targeting a young player. "Criticise me, I can handle it, but he is a 23-year-old boy, so that is something not acceptable," he asserted.
Gambhir also expressed concern about the impact of social media trolling on young players' mindsets. He criticized the exploitation of young players for the sake of creating content on platforms like YouTube, emphasizing the moral responsibility of everyone involved in Indian cricket to protect these players. "If you are criticising 23-year-olds to run your YouTube channel, that is unfair," Gambhir stated. He further added, "There should be a moral responsibility towards Indian cricket and you should not do these things to help run your YouTube channel,".
Looking ahead, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who won the IPL title in 2024, are gearing up for the IPL 2025 season. KKR will commence their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 22 at Eden Gardens. The IPL 2025 schedule includes 74 matches across 13 venues, with the final scheduled for May 25. While Gautam Gambhir is no longer with KKR, having taken on the role of India's head coach, Ajinkya Rahane will captain the team as they aim to defend their title.
