Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has also found himself in the firing line.
Reports suggest that Gambhir has been unimpressed with Pant’s shot selection and may opt to drop him in favour of Dhruv Jurel.
If Pant is indeed axed, it would mirror the controversial omission of legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev during the 1984 England tour, where he was dropped for a reckless shot.
During Thursday’s practice session, Jurel received as much net time as Pant.
When asked by an Australian reporter whether he had some stern words for the players following their 184-run defeat in Melbourne, Gambhir did not deny having had an “honest conversation” with the squad. He also stressed the need to prioritise the team’s cause.
Pant was later seen engaged in a lengthy discussion with vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah.
India will be forced into at least one change, with Akash Deep ruled out due to a stiff back.
Coach Gambhir’s favourite, Harshit Rana, is in contention to replace him. However, given Rana’s inconsistent pace and drop in speed during second and third spells, Prasidh Krishna also remains an option.
Facing an Australian side boosted by the return to form of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne will be no easy task for India.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins downplayed the internal issues within the Indian camp but highlighted that Kohli appeared more proactive in the leadership role than Rohit.
“I haven’t actually noticed as I am in my own bubble,” Cummins said when asked whether he had observed Kohli’s involvement in leadership matters.
The Australian team will field debutant all-rounder Beau Webster, who replaces an out-of-form Mitchell Marsh.
“There is one change with Beau Webster coming in place of Mitch Marsh. Mitch knows that he hasn’t scored enough runs,” Cummins confirmed.
Australia also received a boost with Mitchell Starc cleared to play following back scans. Cummins said the pitch looked “seamer-friendly” and the fast bowlers were “happy with the surface.”
Despite the challenging circumstances, Gambhir remained optimistic about India’s chances of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“I am extremely confident,” Gambhir said.
India’s hopes of keeping their World Test Championship final prospects alive now rest on overcoming their internal struggles and delivering a performance to match their coach’s confidence.
Teams (from):
Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Nathan Lyon.
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tanush Kotian, and Sarfaraz Khan.
Match starts at 5 am IST.
