Rohit missed the first Test in Perth due to paternity leave and Bumrah performed as the standby skipper. But on Rohit’s return, it all went downhill for Gautam Gambhir and Co. Meanwhile, Rohit also opted out of the final Test due to poor form, and since then multiple reports have been surfacing about his relationship with head coach Gambhir.

Some reports have indicated that their relationship is at a breaking point and Gambhir could drop the India skipper. Meanwhile, some have opined that Rohit holds more power than Gambhir, and can’t be dropped. After Rohit was missing from the playing XI for the final Test, some fans and former players were left angered by Gambhir’s approach, and felt that the India captain was being disrespected.

Gautam Gambhir-Greg Chappell comparison

Commenting on the ongoing controversy, Rohit’s former teammate and ex-India cricketer Robin Uthappa was asked by Lallantop, if Gambhir’s coaching style was similar to Aussie legend Greg Chappell, who had a famous row with Sourav Ganguly during his coaching tenure.

Defending Gambhir, he said, “I disagree with you that his style is similar to Greg Chappell’s. I don’t agree with it at all. I have not met a more straightforward person than Gauti. He is very direct. You may not like what he says, but he will tell it you on your face, you can be sure of that and I love people like that. According to me, these people have a good life. They say whatever they are thinking, and that is enough. You get what you see, that is better than being a different person behind someone’s back. I prefer someone being straightforward with me, and Gauti is very, very straight.”

Dissecting Gambhir’s current situation, Uthappa pointed out that the 2011 World Cup has a tough job as he has to manage different skippers and different teams, filled with different personalities. “He likes to run the ship and right now after the World Cup and him joining the team, he is joining a side of two different teams, infact three different leaders now. You have SKY, Rohit and then the ODI side is Hardik right? It is still Rohit, sorry. There are those different styles he has to adjust to right now, one where he has complete control, with T20Is. He is running the ship and he is taking SKY along and evolving him as a leader. There is freedom there,” he said.

Pointing out that Gambhir does support Rohit, he added, “Here they are probably finding the chemistry of the dynamic. It hasn’t been set yet, probably with Bumrah, he was leading his first Test, so the chemistry was better. Some just probably click and some take some time to click. It is not like the chemistry is not there. It is there and you can see in Gambhir’s interviews. He respects and likes Rohit a lot. Sometimes, relationships take time, as both are leaders with their own styles.”

Rohit, already 37-years-old, could only manage 31 runs in three Tests in Australia. On Day 2 of the final Test, he clarified that his absence from the playing XI was his own decision due to his form.