India head coach Gautam Gambhir is facing heavy criticism after the team was whitewashed 2-0 by South Africa in the Test series. This is the second time a team has whitewashed India at home under his coaching, after New Zealand did it last year.
In the last four home series under Gambhir, India have won only two, against Bangladesh and West Indies. Overall, India have lost three series recently, including a defeat to Australia down under. India are currently 5th in the WTC table, winning four, losing four, and drawing one out of nine Tests. With this record, it will be very hard for them to reach the final, as they need to win nearly all their remaining matches.
After India’s loss in the second Test at ACA Stadium in Guwahati, many former players and cricket experts criticized Gautam Gambhir’s coaching style and tactics. The defeat sparked debates about his approach and leadership in the team.
Speaking on Ravichandran Ashwin’s youtube channel, former South African cricketer AB de Villiers shared his views on Gambhir. He said that it is hard to judge the situation from the outside. He mentioned that he knows Gautam Gambhir as an emotional player, and if he is the same in the dressing room, it may not always be ideal for a coach.
“Speaking on behalf of the Indian side, it’s really difficult. I don’t know what GG is like when it comes to leadership. I’ve known him as an emotional player and if that is the case in the change room, generally an emotional coach is not a good thing to have. But it’s not to say he’s that kind of a coach and the kind of leader behind the scenes. There’s no right and wrong, ” Ab de Villiers said.
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India will not play red-ball cricket again until August 2026, when they tour Sri Lanka for a two-Test series. This will be followed by another two-Test series in New Zealand in October–November 2026.
India’s next home Test series will be in January–February 2027, when they host Australia for a five-match series, which will also be their final Test engagement of the current WTC cycle.
Now the focus shifts to white-ball cricket, where Gautam Gambhir has a decent record so far. However, India lost their last ODI series 2-1 against Australia, so they will be looking to bounce back in the series against South Africa starting on November 30. India will be without their captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer.
The ODI series will be followed by a T20I series, serving as part of the build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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