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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rejected claims suggesting uncertainty over Gautam Gambhir’s future as India’s head coach, following a string of poor results across formats. Team India has endured a difficult phase in recent months, beginning with an ODI series loss in Australia, followed by a heavy Test series defeat in South Africa. The situation worsened in January 2025 when India lost an ODI series to New Zealand, a result that drew criticism due to the matches being played at home.

These setbacks have intensified scrutiny on Gambhir and the support staff, with several reports claiming that the BCCI was considering terminating his tenure before the end of his contract. Gambhir’s current term runs until the conclusion of the 2027 ODI World Cup, scheduled to be held in Africa. The recent speculation, however, prompted an official response from the board.

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BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia dismissed the rumours while speaking to Sportstar, stating that opinions around Indian cricket are inevitable given the country’s passion for the sport. Saikia said,

“India is a country of 140 crore people, and everybody is a cricket expert. Everybody will have an opinion. It is a democratic country, and we cannot gag anybody. All the opinion makers are free to give their opinions, including the media. There is a lot of speculated news in the domain, and also various ex-cricketers, cricketers, or other people are also giving opinions. In social media, it is full of them."

He further explained the internal mechanisms that guide major decisions within the board.

“But the thing is that we have a cricket committee in the BCCI, who are ex-cricketers. They are dedicated and make all the decisions. On the other hand, for team selection, we have five selectors. They also have to qualify to get into that position. They are the people who take that also. For every decision, there can be a counter-opinion."

Saikia reiterated that while opinions are acknowledged, authority rests with the appointed panels. He added,

“So, those opinions we have to address, and we have to consider. But the final decision is always taken by the cricket committee as well as the selectors."

Gambhir’s stint as head coach began under pressure, marked by an ODI series loss to Sri Lanka, a rare home Test series defeat to New Zealand, and a one-sided series loss in Australia. Reports of internal disagreements within the dressing room have further added to the scrutiny.

Despite the ongoing criticism and mixed results, the BCCI has maintained that Gambhir continues to enjoy the board’s backing, with no immediate change in the coaching setup.