Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Allegedly Blame Gautam Gambhir's
Indian cricket has been a symbol of national pride and fervor for long, what with the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma at the helm.
But Team India’s recent disastrous show in international tournaments has brought to the fore speculations regarding internal tensions involving Kohli, Sharma, and former cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir.
Kohli and Sharma reportedly do not find it very flattering that Gambhir, now that he is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), pays lesser heed to cricket. The article presents the allegations against Gambhir as a cricketer-turned-politician who has changed over time and their impact on the equation of Team India.
Gautam Gambhir: A Cricketer-turned-Politician
Gautam Gambhir has been the backbone of India’s success: from the win of the 2007 T20 World Cup to the victorious 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. Now, after retiring his cricket boots, he has taken on politics as a BJP leader and won the Member of Parliament seat in 2019.
Politics brings much-needed attention to anybody, and one also wonders what contribution he might make to cricket administration and the guidance he may offer to new cricketers.
Critics feel that this political commitment attendance in the parliament, public appearance, and campaigning would distract his focus towards cricket-related issues.
The reports suggest that Kohli and Sharma feel that it is because of the same reason that the management and strategies of the team get hampered, and hence they fail to remain consistent in the overall performances of the team.
Recent Team India Crisis
Team India lost the game in the last tournaments, the ICC T20 World Cup and the bilateral series. Its major matches have been lost due to poor decision and some weak strategy that has failed at different levels.
Sources close to the side have indicated that Kohli and Sharma were frustrated by a feeling that the management didn’t support them enough or guide them toward the better realization of their abilities.
Gambhir, with a considerable advisory role in Indian cricket, has been accused of not spending time enough on the need of the side. These reports above reveal that his political involvements created a sort of vacuum in the leadership, which made the players unsupported in such crucial matches.
Tensions Between Kohli, Sharma, and Gambhir
The supposed rift between Kohli, Sharma, and Gambhir goes on to contrasting priorities and a lapse in management.
Kohli and Sharma have long been seniors and have been captains in different formats. They are known to be workaholics, with never-ending expectations from the team as well as from the management.
The team is claimed to have not been satisfied with the restricted contribution from Gambhir and blamed the whole for him by way of politicization, and therefore, he made the entire team underperform.
No specific statement is found in this regard, but leaked reports from insiders say that relations between them are strained. According to the same sources, Kohli and Sharma reportedly aired their grievances in private.
Impact of Politicization on Professional Life
This is not something he should carry forward with great high-profile politics and cricket. Easy for Gambhir, as being a parliamentarian from the BJP, would make him get very hectic schedules to work in his constituency as well as to undertake party activities,
which make him relatively less available for the cricketing commitment. It means mentoring players and analysis of the player’s performances as well as developing strategies accordingly for them.
The cases of Gambhir have many times been highlighted for conflict between professional role and political. In this case, his political aspiration seems to overpower his cricketing career, therefore, ignoring players like Kohli and Sharma.
On the contrary, though the fans of Gambhir praise him for his work in cricket, this should not degrade his accomplishments from cricketing ground.
Balancing Dual Careers: Challenges and Implications
This transition between sports and other professions makes it difficult for professionals to maintain a balance between new pursuits and their legacy roles.
For Gambhir, this may mean the new pressures and expectations in his political career would hamper his contribution to cricket.
The very question of a dual career becomes quite problematic in this case. Is it possible to serve as an effective member of both careers without sacrificing one?
Kohli and Sharma are so involved in the success of the team; this perceived disparity may be their biggest frustration and worry.
Internal Dynamics of Team India
The success of Team India is mainly internal, calling for harmony among the players and the management to reach common goals. The news of a rift between Kohli, Sharma, and Gambhir points to cracks in this harmony.
The Kohli-Sharma style of leadership is performance-oriented with an intensity that may cause conflict with Gambhir, who seemed not to be part of the game.
Conflicts between Kohli-Sharma and Gambhir can also bring about poor performances in a team due to poor team morale since the latter are left unsupported or there is a lack of clarification about decisions made by management.
Legacy Contribution of Gautam Gambhir
Though the above statements against Gambhir hold some truth, Gambhir was an Indian cricket stalwart in every sense.
He had played a role in many of India’s most famous wins and inspired generations of cricketers with his aggressive batting style.
In the political career, Gambhir has raised his voice to highlight the inadequacy of sports infrastructure and welfare for the players.
He serves the nation in the best possible way in his both roles as a cricketer and politician. The fans have felt that his career in cricketing should not be overshadowed by his political career.
Role of Rumors and Speculation
Most of the reported tension between Kohli, Sharma, and Gambhir results from leaks and rumors in the cricketing community. It is difficult to comment on them without any word from the concerned parties, hence speculative in nature.
There has to be utter caution when trying to address claims like these and multiple viewpoints taken into consideration before jumping to a conclusion.
The reported rivalry between Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir places the former in the tabloid about the challenges of juggling professional commitment and extracurricular activities.
Even though criticism dogged his political career, one cannot dismiss his contribution to cricket for India.
For Team India, it will be the inner conflict and coming together as one unit that will propel them further into the future.
The unhappiness of Kohli and Sharma in the reported story highlights the importance of good management and leadership in maintaining high team morale and performance.
How cricketers balance their dual career life post-sporting career life determines their legacy and the teams for which they play cricket.
Whether Kohli, Sharma, and Gambhir undergo such a situation or not matters in no way to the discussion, since it provides an example of such dual career issues and the dynamics that come along with the outcome one receives.
Director Aanand L. Rai is likely to meet Aamir Khan for the role of chess legend Viswanathan Anand in his biopic, according to reports. Apparently, this is because story, location, and budget are nearly ready, and shooting may soon begin, according to a source.
Adding to this was Aamir Khan, who as someone who a few years back declared himself as a chess player, enthusiastically added that he would love to play Anand if he dropped by a 2021 chess stream.
The popularity of chess is spiking across India; as it is suited by international success, such as Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, and home-grown Indian talent in Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and the man himself, Anand.
Ex Explore here the tale-telling nature of Aanand L Rai, Anand’s success tales, and what this film does to reshape the Indian cinema canvas, sports cultures, and chess game.
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