India suffered second Test series clean sweep in two years, after NZ blanked them 0-3 last year.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that it is up to the BCCI to decide on his fate at the helm after India lost the second Test to South Africa by a record 408 runs and also suffered a clean sweep of 0-2 in the Test series.
However, Gambhir reminded the press reporters that he is the same person under whom India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the Asia Cup T20 2025.
The BCCI selected Gautam Gambhir as India's coach after Rahul Dravid's stint ended on June 29, after India won the T20 World Cup. While India has done well in white-ball cricket, their Test achievements have been dismal.
Under Gambhir, India began well by defeating Bangladesh 2-0 at home last year. However, India lost 3-0 in the series to New Zealand and then 3-1 to Australia down under. As a result, India did not advance to the 2025 World Cup final.
Following that, India managed a 2-2 draw against England in the United Kingdom and a 2-0 victory against the West Indies, although they have since lost 0-2 at home to South Africa.
Gambhir accepted some of the blame when a reporter asked the crucial question, "Do you think you are the right man for the job?" But he quickly reminded everyone of his accomplishments since taking over.
"It is up to the BCCI to decide. I said it in my first press conference when I took over as the head coach: Indian cricket is important; I am not. And I sit here sticking by the same thing. And yes, people can keep forgetting that I am the same guy who got results in England as well with a young team. And I am sure you guys will forget pretty soon. A lot of people keep talking about New Zealand, but I am the same guy who India won the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup as well. This is a team that has less experience. I have said this before as well, that they need to keep learning and do everything possible to turn the tide,” Gambhir stated during the post-match press conference.
Gambhir was continuously reminded of India's 0-3 defeat to the Kiwis the previous year and how India had never been put to the test by clean sweeps against two elite Test sides. Between these two series, a lot has changed.
Three legendary players in Indian cricket, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, have retired from Test cricket. But would it be sufficient to cover up what just happened? Gambhir corrected the record.
"It [blame] lies with everyone in that dressing room, and it starts with me. I have said it before as well. We win together and lose together. So, I’m not going to say that it lies with XYZ; it lies with everyone in that room. As simple as it can get. That is what team sport is all about," added Gambhir.
"First of all, in the series against New Zealand, we had a very different side. And this is a very different one. When you see this batting line-up against that batting line-up, the experience between the two is chalk and cheese. So, comparing everything to New Zealand is probably the wrong narrative.
I will not give excuses—I’ve never done that in the past, and I won’t do it in the future—but if you see 4-5 batters in this top 8 have literally played less than 15 Test matches. And they will grow. They are learning on the job, in the field. Test cricket is never easy when you’re playing against a top-quality side. You’ve got to give them time,” Gambhir concluded.
India will next play Test cricket in August next year, in 2026, when they travel to Sri Lanka for a series. Right now, India will clash with South Africa in a three-ODI series starting November 30 and then in a five-T20I series beginning December 9.
(PTI inputs)