Gambhir also side-stepped queries on whether out-of-form skipper Rohit Sharma will get a place in the final XI for the fifth and final Test against Australia starting on Friday.
Amid reports of unrest in the dressing room, the head coach sought to douse the fire by declaring that they were “just reports, not the truth”.
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“There were some honest words is all I can say. Honesty is extremely important if you want to go on and achieve some great things,” Gambhir told media persons on the eve of the Test match that India needed to win to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and stay alive in the World Test Championship.
The straight-talking former opener refrained from taking names but acknowledged that a transition is in progress and performance will be the sole criterion to stay on the side.
“Indian cricket will always be in safe hands as long as there are honest people in that dressing room. Honesty is the most important thing for any transition.
“And it’s not phasing out senior players and bringing in new players. Ultimately what will keep you in the dressing room is performance,” Gambhir couldn’t be more precise.
If one read between the lines, it seemed that even Mohammed Shami’s days as an international cricketer are numbered. Shami could not regain fitness for the current series despite being a rehab for a while.
“Earlier when transitions happened it seemed, one department is taking the team forward but (in this case) transition will happen in both batting as well as bowling,” he said.
The question of natural game versus situational awareness cropped up and the coach reiterated his stand that the team’s needs come first.
“Only one ideology matters and that’s team first. It’s a team sport and you have got to play how the team needs you to play. You can play the natural game but in team sport, individuals only contribute.” When Rishabh Pant’s shot selection in the Melbourne Test was specifically mentioned, he brushed it aside, saying, “I don’t want to talk about individuals, they know where they stand.” The feisty Gambhir was on full view when an Australian reporter threw a query on why Rohit had not shown up for the interaction as is the “tradition”.
“Can you confirm the playing eleven?” he asked. The response was vague when it came to addressing the question on his final XI.
“Everything is fine with Rohit and I don’t think there is anything traditional here. The head coach is here and that should be good enough,” he said.
“We will decide on the playing XI after looking at the pitch,” he added.
When the same question was repeated, he was more terse.
“The answer remains the same.” So, what are the conversations that he has had with Rohit and Virat Kohli, whose dismissals outside the off-stump continue to hurt the team.
“There’s only one conversation and that’s how to win matches for India. We all know how important that is,” he said.
However, Gambhir said that he doesn’t appreciate dressing room debates get space in public discourse.
“Debates between coaches and players should be confined between them. This sport is known for results but conversations between individuals should stay inside dressing room,” he asserted.
(With PTI inputs)
