‘A bit of friction’: Dinesh Karthik hits out at Gautam Gambhir-Ajit Agarkar rift after India’s T20I disaster

Indian coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector for Indian men’s cricket team Ajit Agarkar. (Getty Images) Former India batsman Dinesh Karthik believes there could be differences between head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, suggesting that differing priorities may have contributed to India’s selection decisions during the recent T20I tour of Great Britain. Captained by Shreyas Iyer, India suffered a disappointing loss as they lost the two-match series 2-0 to Ireland before being thrashed 4-0 by England in the five-match T20I series. The performances put Gambhir under increasing spotlight, while Sanju Samson’s demeanor and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also took center stage. Sooryavanshi, who impressed in the IPL, was tipped by many to make his international debut during the Ireland series. However, Samson retained his place in the XI. After making just three low scores, Samson was dropped in favor of the 15-year-old, who made his debut against England but failed to make his mark. Sooryavanshi was then omitted for the fifth and final T20I, with Samson returning to the side. In an interview on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Karthik said that the constant changes indicate that there may be a disconnect between the team management and the selection committee. “A bit of friction between the chief selector and the head coach. I feel Agarkar has long-term plans and the current coach is saying, ‘You know, I want to win every game I play.’ That is why the confusion we see unfolds before us. Is it ideal for gamers? Absolutely not,” said Karthik. He also pointed out that the immense depth of the Indian squad only adds to the pressure on players trying to cement their places. “I mean, if you’re from India, imagine the strength on the bench that you have? Everyone thinks that if I play a few bad matches, anyone can replace me. Plus it happens, it’s definitely a situation that India needs to realize and fix as soon as possible,” he added. Karthik further suggested that Agarkar seems to be focused on developing the next generation while Gambhir is naturally under pressure to deliver immediate results. “I think chief selector Agarkar has his eyes on the future and wants to see the group of players around. Meanwhile, Gambhir can think, ‘I want to win every series because it’s my name on the line.’ So maybe there was a conflict; it looks like that,” said Karthik. “There is one coach who wants to build a team and there is another one who says I want success because in every series I play my name is on the line along with the captain,” he added. After the disappointing tour, the BCCI has confirmed that it will conduct a review of India’s poor T20I performances during the British leg, with the team selection and overall results expected to be scrutinized.