South Africa Clean Sweep
When people questioned whether Gautam Gambhir should stay on as Team India’s head coach, he simply pointed to everything the team has accomplished under his leadership.
Gautam Gambhir has no plans to resign as India’s head coach, even though the Test team has struggled at home, losing five out of seven matches in the past year. After a 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand in October and now a 2-0 defeat to South Africa, the pressure has increased. These back-to-back losses have sparked a big debate: Should Gambhir step down as India’s Test coach?
According to the two-time World Cup champion himself, Gautam Gambhir has no intention of leaving. He took over as India’s head coach after Rahul Dravid’s term ended with the T20 World Cup win on June 29. Under Gambhir, India have performed well in white-ball cricket, winning both the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup this year.
But the real concern lies in Test cricket. The team's form has dropped with every series - losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, managing wins only against weaker teams like West Indies and Bangladesh, and the most notable result being a drawn Test series in England.
Gambhir Addresses Team’s Struggles and Shared Responsibility
When a reporter finally asked the big question - “Do you think you’re the right person for this job?” - Gambhir accepted some responsibility for the team’s struggles. But he also quickly pointed out the achievements India has earned since he became head coach.
“It’s for the BCCI to decide,” Gambhir said. “Right from my first press conference as head coach, I’ve always said that Indian cricket matters more than me - and I still believe that. People may forget, but I’m the same coach who guided a young team to success in England. And I know many will forget that soon too. Everyone talks about the New Zealand losses, but under me, India also won the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. This team doesn’t have much experience, and I’ve said before that they need time to learn and improve. We’re doing everything we can to turn things around.”
India faced a massive 408-run loss in Guwahati - their biggest Test defeat by runs - and went down to South Africa in the series without much fight. Gambhir has been under heavy criticism from fans on social media as well as former cricketers. During the Guwahati press interactions, reporters kept questioning him about last year’s 0-3 loss to New Zealand and how two back-to-back clean sweeps against top Test sides have exposed India like never before.
Young Batting Line-up Needs Time, Says India Head Coach
A lot has changed since then. Three legendary players - Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli - have retired from Test cricket. But is that enough to explain what happened? Gambhir made his stance clear.
“The blame belongs to everyone in the dressing room, and it starts with me,” Gambhir said. “I’ve said this before - we win together and we lose together. I’m not going to point fingers at anyone. The responsibility is shared by every person in that room. That’s what a team sport is all about.”
“First of all, the team that played against New Zealand was completely different from the one we have now. The batting line-up back then had far more experience. Comparing that team to this one doesn’t make sense. I’m not giving excuses - I never have and never will - but the reality is that 4-5 players in our top eight have played fewer than 15 Tests. They’re still learning and improving while playing at the highest level. Test cricket is tough, especially against a strong opponent. These players need time to grow.”
Also Read: India Fall Short in 124 Run Chase as South Africa Claim First Test Win in 15 Years