Gautam Gambhir Advised to Consider Plan B After Adelaide Test Defeat

Following India’s significant defeat in the Adelaide Test, former Australian cricketer Kerry O’Keeffe has recommended that Indian team management, under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir, consider alternative strategies. This advice comes after India suffered a 10-wicket loss to Australia in a match held on December 8, 2024.

O’Keeffe has particularly criticized Indian captain Rohit Sharma for his underwhelming performance. Rohit scored just 3 and 6 in the two innings of the Adelaide Test, and his overall average has slipped to 13 over the last five matches. O’Keeffe highlighted the Indian captain’s struggle against Australia’s bowling attack and suggested that this could be attributed to his current form and age.

Significantly, during the recent Adelaide Test, Sharma made an unusual decision to bat at number six, a shift from his usual position. This change came on the heels of a successful opening partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul in the preceding Test at Perth, raising questions about the batting order decisions.

O’Keeffe’s advice isn’t just limited to Sharma’s performance. He advocates for a reevaluation of India’s batting order, urging Gambhir and the coaching staff to be open to changes that better suit the current form and capabilities of the team members. He mentioned seasoned cricketers like Younis Khan and Jacques Kallis who continued to perform effectively despite their advancing ages, implying that with the right changes, performance need not decline significantly due to age.

On an optimistic note for Australia, Travis Head was celebrated as the Player of the Match after his remarkable century in the Adelaide Test, underscoring Australia’s dominant performance.

As the Test series stands tied at 1-1, the onus is on India to make strategic changes before their next match in Brisbane, which starts on December 14, 2024. This will be a crucial game for India to regain the upper hand in the series and explore new strategies to counter Australia effectively.