Former India cricketer Sadagoppan Ramesh has strongly criticized the team management for frequently changing the batting order during the second T20I against Australia. In the match, India captain Suryakumar Yadav demoted himself to No. 4, allowing Sanju Samson to bat at No. 3, while Harshit Rana was sent ahead of Shivam Dube. As a result, Tilak Varma was pushed down to No. 5. India were bowled out for just 125 runs, and Australia comfortably chased down the target to win by four wickets.

Ramesh expressed his displeasure about the constant positional changes creating unnecessary disorder for the batters. “India needs to stop playing musical chairs with their batting order. They would have had a great chance of winning if they had scored 160 to 170. Didn’t Suryakumar Yadav play well at No. 3 in the last match? He was not out as well. Then why send Sanju Samson at No. 3?” Ramesh said on Instagram.

The former opener added that the inconsistent roles were affecting players’ clarity and performance. “He went from opening to No. 5 and now from 5 to 3. Because of this, everyone is looking at each other in confusion on who might go in to bat next. Tilak Varma won India the Asia Cup final at No. 4 and you moved him to No. 5,” he pointed out.

Ramesh Questions Role Clarity and Team Strategy

Ramesh also questioned the move to promote Harshit Rana ahead of Dube and urged the management to focus on each player’s primary strength. Dube came out to bat at No. 8 with only five overs remaining, and Ramesh said the team needs to ensure players perform their main role effectively. “Someone who cooks well can't be made a driver and a good driver can't become the cook. Likewise, the management should focus on each player's strength and main role in the team and aim to get the best out of them in that role. If they do something extra, that’s well and good,” he explained.

See Also: BCCI issues massive injury update on Shreyas Iyer ahead of IND vs SA ODI series

He further warned that the confusion between primary and secondary roles could hurt team balance. “But their secondary skill should not become the primary role and I fear that’s happening in this Indian team. A bowler who can bat needs to deliver with the ball first and likewise a batter who can bowl must deliver with the bat first. The management needs to be clear on this. That’s where India are slipping right now,” Ramesh concluded.

The former Indian chief selector, Kris Srikkanth, has targeted the head coach of the national side, Gautam Gambhir, for the latter’s decision to demote Sanju Samson from the opening position to the middle-order. The veteran feels that Samson has been unlucky but optionless to bat wherever the team demands him due to the desired combination of the eleven.

The former Indian selector also took a step forward to comment that the management might start sending the wicket-keeper batter at number 11 as well in the future. Samson has smashed 993 runs in 42 T20I innings at an average of 26.13 and a strike rate of 147.98 with three fifties and three centuries at the best score of 111.

See Also: What will happen if IND-W vs AUS-W Semi Final 2 of Women's World Cup 2025 gets washed out?

“The most unlucky guy is Sanju Samson. He was scoring centuries as an opener. But now they send him everywhere — from No. 3 to No. 8. If given an opportunity, they may send him at No. 11 also! A person like Sanju will naturally feel bad after doing so well at the top, but he has no option but to be tight-lipped and bat wherever the team asks him to.” Srikkanth expressed this during a YouTube video.

Kris Srikkanth blames Gautam Gambhir for wrong batting position in AUS vs IND Canberra T20I

Samson didn’t enjoy a great time in the recent Asia Cup 2025, with just one half-century coming against Oman in Abu Dhabi. He also got 54 against Maharashtra during the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 clash at the Green Park Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

Just before the start of the Canberra T20I of the five-match series, the right-handed batter opined that he would be happy to contribute in different roles from the opening position to the middle order of the line-up.

“To be honest, I have played a lot of different roles for a lot of different teams. I have been part of this team for a long time now and have done different roles. I have opened the batting. I have finished matches. Now, I am batting in the middle order. Only the openers are fixed in this team. The rest of the batters have to be ready to bat at any time and in any situation.” Samson addressed in an interaction.

India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, displayed tough love and affection for his right-arm pacer, Harshit Rana, as the latter enjoyed his special performance during the third ODI of the three-match series between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

The Indian cricket team relied on Rana’s fiery spell, where he played a key role in India’s victory by picking four wickets for 39 runs and restricting the Australian batting lineup to just 236 runs.

Harshit Rana had a tough start to the Australia tour, struggling with his line and length in the first two ODIs at the Optus Stadium in Perth and the Adelaide Oval. His hard lengths and wide deliveries were punished by Australian batsmen, putting pressure on the young Indian pacer. However, the Indian team management, led by Gautam Gambhir, continued to show confidence in the youngster. Their decision to rest left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh for the final ODI paid off, as Rana’s impressive comeback performance helped India clinch the series in style.

See Also: [WATCH] “One last time…”- Rohit Sharma drops bombshell message on social media

“Special mention to Harshit, that was an outstanding spell. What I want to say is stay humble, stay grounded, keep working hard. It’s just the start.” The current Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, expressed in a video posted by BCCI TV after the end of the third 50-over clash in Sydney.

Watch: “Stay humbled”- Gautam Gambhir’s advice to Harshit Rana post AUS vs IND Sydney ODI

The Delhi pacer, Harshit Rana, aged 23, has showcased his growing potential across all formats of international cricket for the Indian cricket team. In Test matches, he has picked up four wickets in three innings at an average of 50.75.

In the One Day Internationals (ODIs), Rana has been more impressive, claiming 16 wickets in eight innings of the 50-over format at an average of 20.75, a strike rate of 21.3, and an economy rate of 5.82. Meanwhile, in the T20 International (T20I) format, the young Indian fast bowler has taken five wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 10.18.

Under the mentorship of head coach Gautam Gambhir, Rana has continued to evolve as one of India’s most promising right-arm pacers in the current India vs Australia series.

An impressive all-round outing, applauded by inspiring words from Head Coach @GautamGambhir 🙌 🗣

🎥 A reflection of the 3️⃣rd #AUSvIND ODI, followed by a presentation of the 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 medal 🏅 #TeamIndia | @ImRo45…

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 27, 2025

“First, Krishnamachari Srikkanth took the case of this kid. After retirement, cricketers have started their YouTube channels to earn a living, but please don’t scrutinize any kid who has just started. They have the right to guide, scold, but please don’t say anything to increase your YouTube channel’s visibility.” Rana’s childhood coach, Shravan Kumar, told the Times of India.

Before the Australia tour, former Indian opening batter Kris Srikkanth had stirred controversy by alleging that Harshit Rana was selected for the Indian cricket team, also known as the Men in Blue, because he was a “yes man” to head coach Gautam Gambhir.

However, the young Delhi pacer has silenced critics with his on-field performances and proven his capability in various phases of the game. His consistent bowling spells, sharp pace, and aggression have made him one of the rising stars in India’s pace attack during the ongoing India vs Australia ODI series.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Why did Gautam Gambhir give a two-word message to Harshit Rana after the IND vs AUS 3rd ODI?
Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of the Indian cricket team, shared a two-word message with Harshit Rana after the 3rd ODI against Australia to appreciate his match-winning performance. The gesture highlighted Gambhir’s tough-love coaching approach and his belief in the young pacer’s potential.

2. How did Harshit Rana perform in the IND vs AUS ODI series?
Harshit Rana delivered an impressive performance in the India vs Australia ODI series, especially in the third match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He took four wickets for 39 runs, helping India restrict Australia to 236 and secure the series victory.

3. What were Harshit Rana’s overall bowling stats in international cricket?
As of now, Harshit Rana has picked up four wickets in three Test innings, 16 wickets in eight ODI innings at an average of 20.75, and five wickets in three T20I matches with an economy rate of 10.18, showing steady progress across all formats.

4. What did Kris Srikkanth say about Harshit Rana’s selection in the Indian team?
Before the Australia tour, former India opener Kris Srikkanth criticised Harshit Rana’s selection, alleging that he was chosen because of his loyalty to head coach Gautam Gambhir. However, Rana’s strong on-field performances have silenced such claims, proving his merit.

5. How has Gautam Gambhir influenced Harshit Rana’s career so far?
Under Gautam Gambhir’s mentorship, Harshit Rana has evolved as one of India’s most promising young pacers. Gambhir’s guidance and confidence in him, even after early struggles in Perth and Adelaide, played a key role in Rana’s comeback performance in Sydney.

Harshit Rana, the 23-year-old, returned with his best match figures of the ODI format (4/39 in 8.4 overs at an economy rate of 4.50) during the third of the three-match ODI series against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Coming into the clash, there was incredible pressure on the right-arm pacer after his poor performances in the first two games at Perth and Adelaide. 

Harshit Rana's young child's coach, Sharvan, expressed that he received an ultimatum on the trip down under. The coach also leaked the conversation the Delhi pacer had with the Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, who gave a stern message to his bowler ahead of the Sydney clash.

See Also: "No woman should..."- MPCA reacts to Australian players molested in Indore during Women's World Cup 2025

“He called me and told me that he wanted to shut the outside noise out with his performance. I just said, Believe in yourself. I know some cricketers say he is close to Gambhir. But Gambhir knows how to identify talent, and he backs them. He has backed a lot of cricketers, and they have done wonders for their team.” Sharvan expressed, as quoted by Sports Tak.  

Harshit Rana’s childhood coach reveals Gautam Gambhir’s message ahead of AUS vs IND 3rd ODI

Rana’s four wickets included three middle-order batters, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, and Mitchell Owen, as he helped the Blue Brigade to bowl out Australia for 236 runs after the opposition captain, Mitchell Marsh, won the toss and opted to bat first on a solid batting Sydney surface.

“Gambhir, in fact, scolded Harshit badly. He told him directly, ‘perform kar, warna bahar bitha dunga.’ He sends a clear message to whoever you are. Rana is 23. Let’s give him some time.” Rana’s childhood coach was addressed during the conversation.

“First, Krishnamachari Srikkanth took the case of this kid. After retirement, cricketers have started their YouTube channels to earn, but please don’t scrutinize any kid who has just started. They have the right to guide, scold, but please don’t say anything for your YouTube channel’s visibility.” Sharvan also slammed the former Indian opener, Krish Srikkanth, for the latter’s comments on Rana.

After the ODI series defeat against Australia, 'Gautam Gambhir' is trending on social media platforms. Most of the Indian cricket fans are criticizing him, the head of Team India, for back-to-back defeats against Australia. Cricket fans and a part of former cricket experts also targeted Gautam Gambhir over team selection. But it is not the first time Gautam Gambhir has been surrounded by a storm of controversies. Through this article, we will try to rewind some of Gambhir's controversial moments as a former cricketer. 

List of off the field controversial moments of Gautam Gambhir:

1. Feud with MS Dhoni fans:

Indian cricket fans heavily celebrated the World Cup 2011 winning hit by MS Dhoni. Though Gautam Gambhir also made significant contributions to win the final match. Gambhir once remarked that Dhoni’s six in the 2011 World Cup final alone didn’t “win” the World Cup. He wanted to say that the victory was a result of a team effort. But the Dhoni fans took his comments in a different way and criticized Gambhir through social media posts and memes. Many felt Gambhir’s comment diminished one of the iconic moments of Indian cricket. 

2. Heated exchange with Virat Kohli:

During the Indian Premier League, when Gautam Gambhir was a coaching staff member for the Lucknow Super Giants, the tournament was spiced up because of the rivalry between Virat Kohli and Gambhir. In IPL 2023, after a Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match, they had a heated exchange post‐match. The fallout included penalties under the IPL Code of Conduct. While the issue was seeded from an on-field moment, it dragged out of the boundary ropes and was labeled as an off-the-field controversial moment as well. 

Read More: [WATCH] 'aaj farewell match thha' – Gautam Gambhir jokes with Rohit Sharma after brilliant 73 in AUS vs IND 2nd ODI

3. Heated argument with grounds staff at The Oval:

Recently, when India was in England for the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, ahead of the 5th match, which was at The Oval, Gambhir was in the headlines because of a controversial moment with the grounds staff. Gambhir was unable to hold his calm when the curator at The Oval asked the Indian team to keep a 2.5-meter distance from the pitch during inspection. It was reported that in reply, the Team India head coach said to the curator, "You’re just a groundsman… You can report if you want, but you can’t tell us what to do." That out-of-a-match incident triggered media commentary, social media backlash, and revived discussion about Gambhir’s temperament.

4. Clash with S Sreesanth during the Legends League match: 

In 2023, during a Legends League match, S. Sreesanth accused Gautam Gambhir of calling him a 'fixer' during a heated exchange, which Gambhir denied publicly. About the incident, the league authority stated that they should look after the matter deeply. 

Rohit Sharma silenced all critics with a solid batting display in the second ODI match against Australia at Adelaide on Thursday, October 23. The former captain of India, who had been questioned about his batting form and fitness, scored a confident 73 runs to re-establish that he is still one of the game's best in the 50-over format.

After the match, a funny video went viral on social media featuring head coach Gautam Gambhir and Rohit. In the clip, Gambhir jokingly teased Rohit, saying, “Rohit, sabko lag rha tha ki aaj farewell match thha, ek photo to lagaa do,” which means, “Rohit, everyone thought today was your farewell match, put up a photo at least!" The light-hearted banter brought smiles to fans, especially after Rohit’s brilliant innings that ended recent talks about his retirement.

Rohit’s 73 came off 97 balls on a tricky pitch that offered swing and bounce for Australia’s fast bowlers. The star player from Mumbai began slowly and made a well-deserved half-century in 74 balls, his slowest ODI half-century since 2015, and adjusted well to the conditions—an experience and skill that has served him well.

Rohit and Shreyas Iyer Build an Important Partnership

Rohit and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer scored an important 118-run partnership in making 264 for 9, (Iyer) making 61. Although India lost in the end after Australia chased down the target with two wickets left in the match, Rohit's innings was one of the highlights of the series.

Watch the video here

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Rohit Sharma (Fan Page) (@rohit_cha_fans45)

See Also: Star player set to returns from injury to lead Bangladesh in T20Is vs West Indies

The knock also marked several milestones for Rohit. He became the first Indian batter to score 1000 ODI runs against Australia in their own backyard and moved up to become India’s third-highest run-getter in ODIs. This performance was particularly important, as he returned to the national side after a seven-month break and had scored only eight runs in the first ODI at Perth.

The third and final ODI of the series will now be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, October 25, with India looking to bounce back and Rohit aiming to continue his fine form.

Coming into the three-match ODI series against Australia down under, India’s opening batter, Rohit Sharma, whose ODI captaincy was taken away just before the series, the pressure was huge on the veteran, who was making a comeback into the competitive cricket since the end of the IPL 2025 while he would return into the 50-over format since March’s Champions Trophy 2025 final.

Rohit didn’t enjoy a great time in the opening clash of the series at the Optus Stadium in Perth. The right-handed batter, after one sweet drive for a boundary, got squared up for the outside edge into the hands of the slip region for eight runs. The pressure increased before the second fixture at the Adelaide Oval.

See Also: Smriti Mandhana celebrates new record in WODIs during Women’s World Cup 2025

In the second game, the Nagpur-born could have gone through a similar situation as he was asked some tough questions by Josh Hazlewood with the new ball. But Rohit was lucky not to get any outside edge or rapped before the stumps as the reviews also went in his favor.

Watch: Rohit Sharma’s chat with Gautam Gambhir leaked ahead of AUS vs IND Sydney ODI

Rohit cracked a fine knock of 73 runs in 97 deliveries at a strike rate of 75.26 with the help of seven boundaries and a couple of over boundaries. Once the experienced campaigner got his timing right in the middle after staying a long time in the middle, Rohit pulled two short balls from Mitchell Owen over the backward square leg boundary for two sixes in three balls.

Gambhir to Rohit Sharma : "Rohit, Sabko lag rha tha ki aaj farewell match hai photo lagaa do".

Rohit should stay away from these snakes.🙂 pic.twitter.com/GDu7Pcc96J

— 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧 (@ImHydro45) October 23, 2025

“Rohit, Sabko lag rha tha ki aaj farewell match hai photo lagaa do (Rohit, everything is perhaps thinking of you taking retirement; you can post a farewell photo.” Gambhir was heard saying to Rohit while they were heading back to their hotel after the end of the Adelaide ODI, while the newly appointed captain, Shubman Gill, was also present there.

In the first innings, India posted 264/9 in their allotted 50 overs, thanks to two half-centuries from Rohit and Shreyas Iyer, while Axar Patel also contributed a fine knock of 44 runs. In reply, the home side chased down the target by two wickets as Cooper Connolly remained unbeaten on 61 runs in 53 balls with the help of five fours and one six.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir were spotted together ahead of the India vs Australia 2nd ODI match (IND vs AUS 2nd ODI). Ahead of the crucial match, the Indian team management arranged an optional training session. From there, glimpses of moments have been captured in camera lenses.

From a video, attached with the article below, viewers can see Agarkar and Gambhir were discussing deeply during the practice. They talked with other members and players of the squad as well. The main attractive point of the video is when Gambhir and Agarkar went to talk with another opener of the current squad, Yashasvi Jaiswal. The head coach and the chief selector talked for a while with the young opener.

This little moment caught many cricket fans' eyes, and there are speculations already started about Rohit Sharma's future in the team. After winning the Champions Trophy, the ongoing white-ball series in Australia is Sharma's first international assignment. Before the beginning of the series, BCCI announced that Shubman Gill would lead the side and Rohit would be in the squad only as a batsman.

Read More: Good news for Indian cricket fans, Hardik Pandya's return date confirmed!

Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar talked with Yashasvi Jaiswal 

In the first match of the 3-match ODI series, Sharma and Gill both failed to impress with their batting work. It is now well established that the board has a huge amount of faith in Gill—he is now the captain of India's Test and ODI setup and vice captain of the T20I team. In the previous match in Perth, Rohit scored only 8 runs and was then dismissed. 

With the win, Australia is leading the three-match series by 1-0, and it makes the second match for India a do-or-die situation. Will Indian team management make any changes in their first XI? The question remains.

Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir in a long animated chat with backup opener #YashasviJaiswal after #RohitSharma walked off towards the team hotel. Is this the sign of the future?@CricSubhayan and @rohitjuglan discuss.@ThumsUpOfficial #AUSvIND #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QZ6aVvYgdm

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) October 22, 2025

Rohit Sharma didn’t enjoy his opening clash of the three-match series against Australia down under at the Optus Stadium in Perth. He opened his account with a single on the very first delivery of the clash before making a sweet drive against Josh Hazlewood for a boundary. Everything seemed fine and in rhythm till that moment.

But the opening batter of the Blue Brigade opener got an outside edge into the hands of the slip fielder as Josh Hazlewood squared him up. There was a point in the pre-match practice when Rohit walked off to the hotel while Ajit Agarkar had an animated chat with the head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the backup opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal. 

See Also: [WATCH] No handshake with Pakistan continues post Asia Cup 2025 as India captain refuses pre-match gesture

It was perhaps a sign of the national side trying to look beyond into the future. Jaiswal, who made his 50-over debut earlier this year, scored 15 runs against England and has an impressive record in List A cricket with 1526 runs in 33 innings at an average of 53.62 and a strike rate of 85.97 with the help of five centuries and seven fifties.

Watch: Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar bring Yashasvi Jaiswal in animated chat before AUS vs IND Adelaide ODI

Jaiswal has earned massive success and respect in the longest format. The left-handed batter has accumulated 2428 runs in 49 innings at an average of 51.65 and a strike rate of 66.42 with the help of 12 half-centuries and seven centuries at the best score of unbeaten 214 runs against England.

Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir in a long animated chat with backup opener #YashasviJaiswal after #RohitSharma walked off towards the team hotel. Is this the sign of the future?@CricSubhayan and @rohitjuglan discuss.@ThumsUpOfficial #AUSvIND #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QZ6aVvYgdm

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) October 22, 2025

Rohit, on the other hand, has clubbed 11176 runs in 266 ODI innings at an average of 48.59 with a strike rate of 92.76, thanks to 32 centuries and 58 half-centuries at the best score of 264 against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Rohit may perhaps still open the innings against Australia in Adelaide and play the third clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney. But this conversation also means that perhaps they would look to Jaiswal for the next ODI series against South Africa at home.

Ahead of a must-win match, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir were spotted together during Team India's net session. Tomorrow (October 23), India is scheduled to face Australia (IND vs AUS 2nd ODI) for the second One Day International of the 3-match ODI series.

After a brutal defeat in the first match, the Men in Blue now have no option but to win the upcoming match to keep their hopes alive to win the overseas 50-over series. In Perth, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli marked their comeback for Team India after almost a break of five months. But their returns proved numb, as both of the batters lost their wickets cheaply against a quality Australian bowling attack. Sharma scored 8, while Kohli had to return with a duck in the first match of the tour.

Ahead of the 2nd ODI, team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and experienced opener Rohit Sharma were seen inspecting the practice pitches during one of their net sessions. From the video we can see that both of them were closely monitoring the track. In Perth, the pitch was too challenging for subcontinent batters. The weather was heavy; bowlers were getting extra bounce and movement from the surface.

Read More: GT star player to join CSK in shocking all cash deal ahead of IPL 2026: Know all about swap

Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma inspected the practice pitches

Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir checking practice pitches before batting at Adelaide oval today.🇮🇳❤️ pic.twitter.com/4uEGGRPW54

— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) October 22, 2025

After losing the toss, India went to bat first at the Optus Stadium. The pace bowling attack of the home team did not take too long to break team India's top-order batting lineup apart. Apart from Axar Patel and KL Rahul, none of the players of the playing combination were able to make a positive contribution in that match. 

The nature of the surface out and out surprised India's star-studded batting lineup. To prevent another batting collapse, the Indian team management has to keep itself prepared for all possible hurdles.