NEW DELHI: As India looks to recover from back-to-back debacles in Test series against New Zealand and Australia, the BCCI has identified lack of team cohesion and the need for strict fitness management as key areas to address.
TOI understands that while the board has received strong feedback from head coach Gautam Gambhir on these issues, he will re-evaluate his role after the upcoming Champions Trophy next month.
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In a meeting between the BCCI, Gambhir, captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, it was mentioned that players should limit the time they spend with their wives and partners during long tours. The fact that some players prefer to travel alone and seek alternative accommodation on tour was discussed.
BCCI feels team bond is lacking
Gambhir’s off-field involvement with the team is also in question and he may be advised to do more team-bonding exercises.
“The board is a little concerned that a team that has been consistent across formats for over five years is suddenly struggling to work together with almost the same player composition. This is due to a lack of energy to energize players.It has become clear that players get absorbed in their personal lives after training or matches.
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“Players these days have large entourages with their families. Some prefer to stay in different hotels, others make their own domestic travel arrangements. “The board is considering limiting the length of stay for family members on long tours to two weeks,” the source added.
Commenting on key insights from the meeting on the need to rebuild team spirit beyond match time, the official said, “After India won the first Test in Perth, the team held the annual celebratory team dinner.” “We were hoping to open it up, but instead the whole team showed up.” The squad went out in groups.
Gambhir went out with his people. During the two-month trip, there was only one team dinner. A previous team manager used to organize outdoor activities for the entire team. It helps build team spirit,” the official said.
TOI understands that Gambhir canceled the culture of any training session for the same reason. He feels that the whole team needs to train together to increase synergy between the players, and there is no point in just a few players coming to practice.
Returning to a strict fitness level?
It is suggested that the BCCI medical team should go back to fitness criteria for selection instead of focusing only on injury prevention. The previous team management had done away with the yo-yo test, which was a key selection factor during Virat Kohli’s captaincy.
“The board was lenient with the players because they were mainly on the road. The focus shifted solely to injury prevention, which was neglected by some players. There is discussion that standards of fitness levels need to be reintroduced. Complacency will not creep in,” the source said.
