Gautam Gambhir took over as India head coach from Rahul Dravid in July 2024. Since then, he has guided India to two ICC titles - Champions Trophy 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026 - the most by any coach in history of Indian cricket.

However, the white-ball success has not translated to the traditional format. With Gambhir at the helm, India have won seven, lost 10 and drew two of their 19 Tests so far, which includes a couple of clean sweeps against New Zealand (0-3) and South Africa (0-2) at home.

The team also conceded the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3 in Australia. The only Test series wins during his tenure have come against Bangladesh and the West Indies in home conditions.

India have nine Tests remaining in the ongoing World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. The Shubman Gill-led side will tour against Sri Lanka (August 2026) and New Zealand (October 2026) for two Tests coach, before hosting Australia in a five-Test series in January-February 2027.

Currently holding sixth spot in the WTC 2025-27 standings with just 48.15 PCT%, India have to win at least seven of the remaining nine matches to qualify for the final.

The task might be daunting, but Gambhir is still hopeful about India’s chances in the ongoing WTC cycle.

“Test cricket is very close to my heart. That one format is extremely, extremely close. And I hope that first we can qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. That’s my next target. We still have nine Test matches to go. And the focus is going to be there," Gambhir said during his recent appearance in the ANI podcast.

“Yes, we’ve gone through a transition. And transition in red-ball cricket is always difficult as compared to white-ball cricket, and there are these young boys, whom we will keep backing in red-ball cricket. Because Test cricket is never easy. So, the next target is that hopefully we can qualify for the WTC Final," he added.

While he remains fond of Test cricket, Gambhir also highlighted that the current crop of Indian players are very serious about the five-day format and want to do well in it.

“One format which is very close to my heart. If you ask me about all three formats, it is red ball cricket. I am still traditional and I think most of the boys in that dressing room are. They really want to do well in Test cricket. They really do, because that is where legacies are made. That is where you feel content when you come back. That’s the only format which gives you the opportunity to score 100, 200, or 300. No other format gives you that opportunity, and when you go through those five days of hard work and when you get the result, there is no more satisfaction than getting a Test win under your belt. Whether it is the T20 World Cup final or whether it is a 50-over game. Test cricket gives you ultimate happiness," he remarked.