Team India suffered their biggest defeat in terms of runs, losing the second Test to South Africa by a whopping margin of 408 runs in Guwahati on Wednesday (November 26). As a result, the hosts conceded the series 0-2 to Proteas.
This was the second time in a span of just 12 months that India ended up being whitewashed at home. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, the team has now lost five of their last seven home Tests, including a 0-3 series sweep against New Zealand.
In the wake of the debacle, calls for Gambhir’s sacking have grown louder. Moreover, the agitated fans in Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium booed the Indian coach, chanting, ‘Gautam Gambhir Haye Haye’, in unison.
Amidst heavy scrutiny, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has come to the defence of Gambhir, blaming player exits and team transition for the defeat against South Africa.
“The players must adjust to the weather, the overall conditions, and the composition of the soil as well as the length of the grass on a pitch. A Test cricketer is expected to adapt to any kind of wicket. If you look at the batting of Dilip Vengsarkar or Sunil Gavaskar in the past, they used different techniques for playing at home or in different conditions in countries like the West Indies, England, South Africa, or Australia. Everything is variable except the player, and he or she should adapt to the conditions. That is what the game is all about. That is the beauty of Test cricket," Saikia was quoted as saying to TOI.
“You have to consider vital things. One is that three seasoned cricketers — Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin — left Test cricket. New players are coming into the set-up. So, at present, the Indian team is going through a transition. It will take some time before we reclaim our position as the No. 1 Test team in the world," he added.
While India’s white-ball side has performed exceptionally well under Gautam Gambhir, producing trophies and strong win-loss records, that success has not translated to the traditional format.
With Gambhir at the helm, the team has won seven, lost 10 and drew two of their 19 Tests so far. However, the board is not willing to take knee-jerk action against the coaching staff.
“BCCI doesn’t take knee-jerk reactions. We are going on as per our long-term plan. Winning or losing is a part of the game. We don’t make changes every now and then. If any change is required, we take a call at the end of that particular period," Saikia said.
