Former South African batter AB de Villiers opened up about the alleged rift within the Indian dressing room during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 in Australia. AB de Villiers stated that such tensions are common, especially during tough overseas tours when players struggle with form.
Team India ended their campaign in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a disappointing six-wicket defeat in the final Test in Sydney. This loss marked the end of India’s decade-long dominance over Australia in the Test series. Pat Cummins and his team reclaimed the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Internal Unrest Reported in the Indian Cricket Team Ahead of the Sydney Test
Ahead of the Sydney Test match between India and Australia, The Indian Express reported internal unrest in the Indian cricket team. A senior player reportedly sought to position himself as a ‘Mr. Fix-It’ amid doubts about Rohit Sharma’s leadership due to his poor performance in Test cricket in recent times.
Rohit Sharma opted out of the Sydney Test due to form issues, with Jasprit Bumrah taking over as captain. However, Bumrah’s back spasms on Day 2 hindered the Indian team’s defense of a 161-run target. Bumrah didn’t come to bowl in the fourth innings, which forced India to rely on two fast bowlers.
I Know There Have Been Some Rumours – AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers stated that “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” regarding the rumors of unrest in the Indian dressing room. De Villiers said that he has been part of hostile dressing rooms during challenging overseas tours. He stated that the unrest in the dressing room could have impacted team performance.
“I know there have been some rumours. I’m not surprised. When there’s smoke, there’s fire. I’ve been part of dressing rooms where it’s been hostile. Especially when you’re away from home, you’re missing your family and you’re not playing the best cricket of your career,” De Villiers said.
“The dressing room is crucial, especially away from home. It’s easier at home. I have no doubt that the Indian team dressing room might have lost that a little bit over the last weeks in Australia. When you start losing faith in each other, you might as well sit on the sides and hand over the trophy. I don’t have facts with regards to the Indian dressing room. I’ll wait for facts to see who’s been niggling with who!” he added.
We Were Squabbling with Each Other – AB de Villiers
Reflecting on his personal experiences with the South African cricket team, AB de Villiers highlighted how negativity can infiltrate a dressing room during tough times. He recalled the 2006 series against Australia, where South Africa lost 2-0 away and 3-0 at home.
“It’s very easy for bad stuff and bad habits to creep into the dressing room. We also had that against Australia in 2006 when we lost 2-0 in Australia and then lost 3-0 in South Africa. We lost five out of six Tests. It wasn’t sunshine and roses in that dressing room, we were squabbling with each other,” he said.
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