Gautam Gambhir on India’s dressing room leaks: ‘Just reports, not truth’; Akash Deep ruled out of IND vs AUS Sydney Test

India head coach Gautam Gambhir asserted on Thursday that debates in the dressing room should remain inside and not come out in the public domain as he had some honest conversations with the players following their 184-run loss to Australia in Melbourne in the fourth Test.

Following India's Melbourne loss, The Indian Express reported that Gambhir had some stern words for the players who were doing their own thing in the name of “natural game” instead of playing according to the situation. 

“Debates between coach and player should remain in the dressing room. Stern words. They were just reports, not truth,” Gambhir said in the pre-match press conference on the eve of the fifth and final Test starting on Friday in Sydney.

“Indian cricket will be in safe hands till honest people stay in the dressing room. The only thing that keeps you in the dressing room is performance," he added. 

Besides the Indian players not showing match awareness, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's repeated failures with the bat have also come under scrutiny, with calls for their retirement getting louder.

Gambhir pointed out that he had spoken with Rohit and Kohli only on the game. “Every individual knows what areas to work on. We have only had one conversation with them (and that is) how to win Test matches," he added.

Akash Deep ruled out of Sydney Test

Meanwhile, India will be missing the services of pacer Akash Deep in Sydney due to a stiff back. The Bengal pacer, playing in his first overseas tour, had taken five wickets from two Tests in Brisbane and Melbourne so far. The right-arm fast bowler was also unlucky in not getting multiple wickets after several catches were dropped off his bowling during those two games.

Gambhir confirmed the development, stating, "Akash Deep is out with back issue." Either Harshit Rana or Prasidh Krishna could make it to the eleven in place of Akash.