As per Report, Gambhir, Agarkar had “heated” debate over Iyer’s retention, Rahul vs Pant
Tensions reportedly arose between head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar regarding India’s Champions Trophy squad selection. A “heated selection meeting” occurred, disagreeing on Shreyas Iyer’s retention and the preferred wicketkeeper.
Despite Agarkar naming Rishabh Pant as the first-choice wicketkeeper in January, Gambhir later indicated KL Rahul would take the gloves, a decision seemingly supported by captain Rohit Sharma for continuity. This differed from Agarkar’s stated preference. However, Pant didn’t play in the ODI series against England. Iyer, who was initially supposed to be dropped for Yashasvi Jaiswal, scored two half-centuries, solidifying his position.
These disagreements highlight potential differences in vision between Gambhir and Agarkar regarding team composition and player roles. Some reports suggest Gambhir also clashed with Agarkar and Sharma over vice-captaincy, initially preferring Hardik Pandya, but Shubman Gill was chosen. These conflicts are expected to be resolved after the Champions Trophy.