Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL 2024 title under the mentorship of Team India’s former veteran opener Gautam Gambhir. Seeing his success, BCCI decided to make Gambhir the new head coach of Team India. The expectations were that with the arrival of Gambhir, Team India would achieve new successes but its situation has started deteriorating. The test series defeat at the hands of New Zealand ended their 12-year long dominance. The kind of decisions that led to this day are raising questions even on Gambhir. If this was not enough, now new allegations are being leveled against Gambhir whether he is the coach of Team India or the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders? Are they working for both teams at the same time?
The last match of the Test series between India and New Zealand will start from November 1 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Just before this match, the team management has taken a decision which has surprised everyone and due to this it has come under serious questions. Actually, on Tuesday 29 October, the news came out that Delhi fast bowler Harshit Rana has been included in the Indian squad for the third Test match. Not only this, it is also believed that Harshit can also make his debut in this test match. Because of this one news, it has come under serious questions.
Why are questions being raised on Gambhir?
At present there is a lot of commotion regarding IPL retention and the deadline for retention is 31st October. That means, by October 31, every team has to reveal the names of its retained 6 players (or less). Under the rules of retention, if any team wants to retain an uncapped player (who has not played international cricket), then it can retain him for only Rs 4 crore. Harshit Rana has not yet made his debut for Team India, that is, he is still uncapped. In such a situation, Kolkata Knight Riders can retain him as an uncapped player, which is considered almost certain because Harshit had impressed with his performance in the last season and played an important role in making the team the champion.
This is the real reason for raising questions on Gautam Gambhir. If Harshit Rana had made his debut for Team India before the retention, Kolkata would have had to spend more than Rs 4 crore to retain him, but by retaining him as an uncapped player, the franchise would have saved a lot of money, which would have helped. She can avail the benefit in mega auction.
Is it just a coincidence?
This decision cannot be ignored as just a coincidence because its strings are linked to a previous incident. In the same month, a T20 series was played between India and Bangladesh, in which Harshit Rana was also a part of Team India. In that series, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mayank Yadav made their debut in the first match itself and played all three matches. In such a situation, it was believed that Harshit could also debut in the third T20, but just before this match held on October 12, he was suddenly declared ill, due to which he was not available for selection. But the very next day he was present in the training camp with the Indian Test team in Bengaluru and was looking absolutely fit.
Even at that time, such questions were raised about Gambhir that keeping in mind the IPL retention, he did not want Harshit to debut till 31st October. Although at that time such things were being said only in light joke, but suddenly the decision to call Harshit from the middle of Ranji Trophy and include him in Team India for the Mumbai Test has turned this joke into a serious allegation. Many users on social media are also asking BCCI whether Gambhir’s decision to benefit his old franchise is not a ‘conflict of interest’?
Harshit Rana was seen standing tall in the practice just 2 days after being ruled out because of some fever, and now he is getting a debut just a day after retention cutoff?
If Rohan Jaitley is becoming BCCI Secretary, he should investigate a potential conflict of interest here
— Ricky talks Cricket (@CricRicky) October 29, 2024
The whole Harshit Rana situation is alarming simply because even a national coach places IPL team interest above what is right for the team. BCCI is Board of Control of Conflicts of Interest but we are just pushing the limits of how far it can go.
— Srinivas R (@srini_r_twit) October 29, 2024
All Indian coaches have had their flaws but I dont think anyone would have let an IPL retention dictate national selection in their wildest dreams.
— Prashanth S (@ps_it_is) October 29, 2024
Doubt on intentions, not on ability.
Harshit Rana is definitely a good fast bowler, who apart from his pace, also troubles the batsmen with his bounce. Also contribute in batting. He has also been selected for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and just before being called for the Mumbai Test, he also led Delhi to victory in the Ranji Trophy match by taking 5 wickets in an innings and then scoring a half-century. In such a situation, there is no doubt on his ability. In such a situation, if Gambhir really considers Harshit ready to debut in Team India, then there is no need to wait till the last match of the series. Now if Harshit Rana actually makes his debut in the Mumbai Test just a day after the IPL retention, then it will put Gambhir’s intentions and his methods as a coach in the dock, which is not good news for the Indian cricket team.
