India has been whitewashed twice in Test series at home under Gautam Gambhir.
Though India has won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and Asia Cup 2025 under Gambhir, the focus has been on the Test series losses to New Zealand and South Africa at home, who whitewashed India in India, and the 3-1 series loss in Australia. India has only defeated the West Indies at home and played a 2-2 draw in Tests in England, with Shubman Gill as captain and Gambhir as head coach.
Ravi Shastri, former India head coach, says criticism should not be focused at a single individual. Speaking on Prabhat Khabar's YouTube channel, he advocated for a broader understanding of accountability.
"So, when results come, one thing the public should remember is that players should also take responsibility. It should not be that you target one individual. It has happened to me; that is why I am speaking from experience. So, it is important that the players also take the rap on the knuckles when something like this happens. There should be pride. They should feel hurt that we have lost. Until that happens, things will not move forward," Shastri said.
"Har match jitna hai. Nahi jitega to bandook tumhari taraf. Agar tu mere saath hota, to mai pehle responsibility leta. Wo pride hona chaiye. Hurt hona chaiye ki hum haare hain. Pressure sabko aata hai. Jhelna padta hai. Cricket is 90 percent here in the mind.
We have to win every match. If we don’t win, the gun will point at you. If this had happened with me, I would have taken responsibility first. There should be pride. You should feel hurt that we have lost. Everyone feels pressure. You have to deal with it. Cricket is 90 percent here—in the mind," Shastri said.
Shastri also highlighted the importance of leadership qualities beyond tactics.
"If your performance is poor, you could be fired. Therefore, you need to maintain patience. Communication and man-management skills are crucial here. Only then can you motivate the players to win. And that's what we did. The most important thing is to enjoy whatever you do. Don't take it as pressure," he explained.
Drawing on his experience guiding India's successful run from 2014 to 2021 in Test cricket, Shastri emphasized that setbacks should be regarded collectively.
“Everyone, right from the team management to the players—you can't single out one person. It's a collective decision. South Africa defeated India; no single player defeated India. South Africa played well as a team. Where did we play?" Shastri said.
Here is the video: