Rift In Team India Ahead Of IND vs BAN Game In Champions Trophy 2025? Star Player Blames Gautam Gambhir For Omission From Playing XI
Just days before their opening clash against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy 2025, the Indian cricket team is caught in the middle of a fresh controversy. Reports suggest a star wicketkeeper-batter is unhappy with head coach Gautam Gambhir for being dropped from the playing XI, leading to speculation about unrest within the squad. According to a Times Now report, a top cricketer believes that external factors influenced his exclusion from the first-choice playing XI. While the report does not explicitly name the player, the limited pool of wicketkeeper-batters in India’s squad makes the guessing game relatively straightforward.
With KL Rahul already confirmed as India’s first-choice keeper-batter, the focus shifts to the remaining contenders. Rishabh Pant, who is part of the squad, suffered a knee injury during a recent training session in Dubai, raising concerns about his availability. However, two other high-profile keepers—Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan—missed out on squad selection entirely.
Ishan Kishan’s absence from India’s white-ball plans has been a talking point ever since he chose to skip domestic matches, defying BCCI guidelines. Despite his previous success in ODIs, including a double century against Bangladesh, his non-selection signals a clear message from the team management. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson, who has risen as India’s first-choice T20I wicketkeeper, also found himself on the wrong side of the selection process.
This is the first ICC tournament under Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as India’s head coach, and his decisions have already stirred debate. The team, which dominated England in both T20Is (4-1) and ODIs (3-0), seemed to have turned a corner after a disastrous tour of Australia, but internal discord threatens to overshadow their preparations for the Champions Trophy.
While Gambhir has publicly backed KL Rahul, questions persist about whether other players have received a fair chance. Some sources suggest that personal dynamics and past performances have played a role in selection decisions, leaving a few players feeling hard done by.
KL Rahul’s transformation from an opener to a middle-order batter has been remarkable. His consistency in ODIs—1,438 runs at an average of 51.35—makes him a strong candidate for the role. Even though he had limited opportunities in the recent England ODIs, Gambhir confirmed that Rahul would be India’s designated keeper-batter for the Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh.
Pant, a standout performer in Tests, is still trying to cement his place in India’s ODI setup. Since recovering from a life-threatening accident, he has played only a single ODI against Sri Lanka in 2024, managing just 6 runs. His selection in the squad suggests the team management still sees potential, but whether he gets a starting spot remains uncertain.
Rohit Sharma (Captain)
Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain)
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
KL Rahul (WK)
Rishabh Pant (WK)
Hardik Pandya
Axar Patel
Washington Sundar
Kuldeep Yadav
Harshit Rana
Mohammed Shami
Arshdeep Singh
Ravindra Jadeja
Varun Chakaravarthy
As India gears up for its Champions Trophy opener, the focus should ideally be on their title aspirations rather than internal conflicts. However, with speculation swirling around team selection politics, the pressure on Gautam Gambhir to deliver results will only intensify. The coming days will reveal whether this controversy is merely a distraction or a sign of deeper issues within the Indian camp.
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