What happens in the dressing room stays in the dressing room, they say — unless, of course, you’ve sold the rights to behind-the-scenes footage to platforms like Netflix or Prime Video. Access to the raw emotions of professional sportsmen in the changing rooms has become a compelling viewing experience for fans in recent years. Prominent football clubs such as Manchester City and Formula One teams have opened their backstage doors. Even the Australian men’s cricket team has released two seasons of The Test, offering unfiltered glimpses into their highs and lows.

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Indian cricket, however, has yet to commercialise such behind-the-scenes access. Dressing room sanctity, at least outwardly, is held as sacred. The changing room is viewed as a safe haven, far removed from the hundreds of cameras scrutinising every emotion and mistake on the field. It’s where even the toughest players can afford to be vulnerable.

Yet, leaks from the dressing room are not new in the world of sport, and Indian cricket is no exception. Since the country’s first-ever Test match, dressing room leaks have been an enduring issue.

When India won the T20 World Cup six months ago, and when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli embraced atop a bus during the victory parade in Mumbai, everything seemed harmonious. Even after India’s heartbreaking loss in the ODI World Cup final at home in 2023, no reports of dressing room discord emerged.

However, the situation unravelled in Australia. As the world welcomed the New Year, Indian cricket revisited old wounds, with private dressing room emotions and perceived insecurities of some team members being laid bare.

A report in a leading daily claimed that coach Gautam Gambhir had delivered a strongly-worded address to the players after India’s 184-run defeat in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

The report highlighted disagreements over team selection, leaving pundits and former cricketers baffled. R Ashwin, known for his dedication to the team, retiring midway through the series may have foreshadowed the turmoil. The report also alleged that two players harboured captaincy ambitions and tried to assume the role of “Mr. Fixit” as Rohit struggled tactically on the field. Rohit’s dismal form with the bat compounded matters. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah led India when Rohit missed the first Test in Perth due to paternity leave — it remains the only Test India have won so far on this tour of Australia.

“Australia is a beautiful country to travel but a tough country to tour,” coach Gautam Gambhir remarked during an address at the Prime Minister’s residence in Sydney. An Australian tour has always been a crucible for players and teams, and Gambhir’s words aptly captured the moment.

In the era of social media wars, dressing room leaks can be perilous. Ever since news began trickling out of the Indian dressing room in Melbourne, fan groups online have erupted with vitriol.

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More crucially, exposing dressing room dynamics before a decisive Test could erode team morale. Even experienced players in an unhappy dressing room would struggle with confidence, while younger players on their first Australian tour might find the pressure unbearable. This unease could very well impact India’s performance in Sydney. Unless cooler heads prevail, India might begin the series finale with a psychological disadvantage.

Twelve hours before the Test, sources told India Today that Rohit Sharma was likely to be excluded. While leaving Rohit out might have been a pragmatic choice considering his form and struggles as captain, the journey to this decision has once portrayed the power dynamics of Indian cricket in a poor light, once again.

At the pre-match press conference on the eve of the Sydney Test, head coach Gambhir deflected questions about Rohit’s inclusion. Even when pressed by journalists, he remained tight-lipped.

“Everything is fine with Rohit. I don’t think it’s a tradition. The head coach is here. That should be fine, that should be good enough. I’m going to have a look at the wicket and finalise it tomorrow,” Gambhir stated.

When was the last time a captain’s selection hinged on pitch conditions?

Rohit’s brief cameo at Thursday’s training session only added intrigue. He skipped slip-catching drills, was the last to bat in the nets, and faced throwdowns for just ten minutes.

Sources suggest Rohit may have played his final Test in Melbourne – another career potentially crushed by the intensity of playing on Australian soil.

THIS IS NOT NEW

While the dressing room chaos has been ugly, it is not unprecedented. Stories of turmoil often emerge when team performances dip or egos collide. When India, under the leadership of Rohit and Gambhir, lost a Test series 0-3 at home to New Zealand in October-November, cracks started to emerge. They became more evident when India failed to extend their decade-long streak of Test series victories against Australia.

Fans nostalgically projecting past generations of players as paragons of harmony might overlook history.

The infamous Sourav Ganguly-Greg Chappell saga remains one of Indian cricket’s darkest episodes. Chappell’s leaked email criticising Ganguly’s leadership exposed deep fissures, resulting in Ganguly’s removal as captain and polarising the cricketing community.

What about the rumoured power struggle between Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar in the 1980s?

The reported friction between Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli led to a significant upheaval in Indian cricket in 2017. Despite a stellar year as head coach, during which India achieved remarkable success across formats, Kumble stepped down citing an untenable relationship with Kohli. Reports suggested differences over team strategies and man-management styles, with Kumble’s authoritative approach clashing with Kohli’s preferences.

Kumble described the situation as “untenable” in his resignation, hinting that the captain’s reservations influenced his decision. The episode highlighted the complex dynamics between players and coaches and how even the most successful partnerships can have underlying issues.

When Gautam Gambhir was appointed head coach, he was seen as a saviour. Known for his no-nonsense approach and composure under pressure, he seemed ideal to steer Indian cricket through its transitional phase.

“I think Indian cricket will always be in safe hands till the time honest people are sitting in the dressing room. Honesty is the most important thing for any transition. It’s not about phasing out senior players or getting the youngsters in. Ultimately, the only thing that can keep you in the dressing room is performance,” Gambhir asserted, downplaying the challenges of transition.

However, it may not be as straightforward as Gambhir suggests. Hopefully, he won’t have to learn this lesson the hard way.

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