It’s no longer acceptable to sugarcoat the collapse: under gautam gambhir and Ajit Agarkar, indian Test cricket isn’t just faltering — it’s being sabotaged by ego, hate and blatant favouritism. These two figures who wield immense power over selection and strategy have systematically ignored, sidelined or punished those who earned a shot — while elevating favourites, preserving status-quo and destroying the meritocracy that once made indian cricket formidable. It’s time someone asked: do they deserve to still lead?
Ignored form, promoted bias – When sarfaraz khan smashed 150-plus in domestic/’A’ level cricket (and had shown flashes in Test series) he was inexplicably dropped from the Test setup. Critics openly questioned Gambhir and Agarkar’s decision-making.
Selection over substance – Two-time significant contributor Sai sudarshan nailed 87 & 39 in a Test match yet found himself axed from the XI as if the performance never existed. This sends a chilling message to every young batsman: your runs don’t matter when the power-circle chooses otherwise.
No debut for the deserving – abhimanyu Easwaran, after grinding through domestic cricket and showing promise, was denied a true Test debut despite being in contention. The system showed its teeth: merit doesn’t guarantee a chance when politics enters.
Victim of “team culture” spin – Devdutt Padikkal scored a fluent 50 on debut at home — yet then vanished from the XI. The official post-mortems talk about long-term plans and team culture, but what they really reveal is a managerial fear of letting talent unsettle the established order.
The big picture of wreckage – Fans, critics and former players alike are now openly questioning the partnership of Gambhir & Agarkar. One former coach blasted them for favouritism. social media chants them as “the ones destroying indian Test cricket”.
How this destroys indian cricket’s future – When the best-performing players are ignored, the pipeline dies. When selectors chase favourites instead of form, fear replaces performance. The long-term damage isn’t just one season lost — it’s the death of a meritocratic ethos.
Why removal is now the only option – If those in charge can’t see the obvious damage, then staying is complicity. The board must act — for the sake of 50 years of Test pride, for the young cricketers battling for impact, and for a team that once believed in fairness.
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