Team India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, endured a tough outing during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia, struggling both with the bat and his leadership.
After missing the first Test due to paternity leave, Sharma rejoined the squad for the second match but failed to make an impact. Despite a remarkable win in Perth under Jasprit Bumrah’s leadership, India’s performance in the series declined.
Sharma’s form with the bat was particularly concerning, as he managed only 31 runs across three Tests at a dismal average of 6.00. His struggles drew sharp criticism from former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, who questioned both his batting approach and his effectiveness as a captain. Gavaskar also raised eyebrows over Sharma’s absence from the Sydney Test, hinting that his future in red-ball cricket might be uncertain. He even suggested it might be time for a leadership change to benefit the team.
According to reports from Cricblogger, the criticism did not sit well with Sharma. Feeling the scrutiny was unfair, he reportedly lodged a formal complaint with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) against Gavaskar. Sharma also cited external factors that he believed had contributed to his poor performances during the series
source close to the matter revealed, “Rohit felt that it was not necessary for Sunil Gavaskar to criticize him in that fashion, and that’s why he complained to the BCCI about Gavaskar. All these added so much pressure that he was compelled to tell it all to BCCI.”