It is also learnt that Gambhir is not on the same page with most of the players in the team and the communication isn't as good as it used to be during the time of Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid. Hence, maintaining a good team environment in the dressing room hasn't been that easy for the captain.
It is understood that Rohit Sharma used to speak individually to the players about selection issues in Dravid's coaching era. But after Gambhir's appointment, Rohit, it is said, hasn't given clarity to some of the not-so-junior players about why they were not picked at times. His own poor form hasn't helped Rohit's cause.
Gambhir, known for being more assertive, has not gained significant confidence from the group of players who are not newbies like Harshit Rana or Nitish Reddy, or as seasoned as Kohli or Rohit. In addition to this, India's poor performances in the New Zealand and Australia series have put Gambhir on the back burner.
"There is a Test match to be played and then there is Champions Trophy. If the performance doesn't improve, even Gautam Gambhir's position wouldn't be safe," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"He was never BCCI's first choice (it was VVS Laxman) and some of the well-known overseas names didn't want to coach all three formats, so he was a compromise. Obviously, some other compulsions were also there," the official added.
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