‘Toughest Part of My Job’ – Gautam Gambhir Finally Breaks Silence on Benching Arshdeep and Kuldeep

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has finally addressed the growing criticism around Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav’s exclusion from the playing XI in recent matches.

Both players, considered match-winners in white-ball formats, have spent more time on the bench despite consistent performances whenever given a chance.

Arshdeep, India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is, played just two games in the Asia Cup earlier this year and didn’t feature in the T20I series against Australia.

Kuldeep, meanwhile, was dropped from the third T20I Down Under and sent home to prepare for the South Africa Tests, a move that raised several eyebrows among fans.

Speaking to BCCI.TV, Gambhir admitted that leaving out quality players like Arshdeep and Kuldeep is one of the most difficult aspects of his coaching role.

“That’s probably the toughest part of me as a coach,” Gambhir said.

“Sometimes, when I see so much talent sitting on the bench, it hurts. Everyone deserves to be in the XI, but we can only pick a combination that fits best for that day. Those are the toughest calls.”

The former India opener also emphasized the importance of transparent communication with players who miss out.

“The most important thing is honesty. Communication needs to be clear and straightforward. Yes, players do get upset, and rightly so, but when the conversation comes from the heart, they understand.”

Gambhir revealed that his main focus is on maintaining trust and openness in the dressing room, even during difficult decisions.

“We’ve tried to keep the environment transparent and honest. That’s the kind of culture we want in this team. When players know that every decision is made with the team’s best interest in mind, it keeps the atmosphere healthy.”