In Indian cricket, results often dictate narratives and when performances dip, scrutiny follows quickly. Over the past year, India’s struggles in Test cricket have sparked intense debate, with much of the focus falling on head coach Gautam Gambhir. Despite a string of disappointing outcomes, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has firmly indicated that it is not considering a change in leadership.
Gautam Gambhir, the former India opener from Delhi, took over as head coach in July 2024 after Rahul Dravid’s tenure came to an end. Since his appointment, India has played 19 Test matches under his guidance, winning only seven. While there were moments of promise, including one Test victory in Australia last year and two wins in England this year, the overall record has raised concerns.
Those concerns grew louder following a series of painful losses at home. India suffered a 0–3 whitewash against New Zealand and later lost 0–2 to South Africa in front of home crowds. These defeats were particularly damaging given India’s long-standing dominance in home conditions. Under Gambhir, India has now lost five home Tests, the highest number recorded by any Indian head coach. He is also the only Indian coach to have experienced two home Test series whitewashes.
After India’s recent defeats against South Africa, speculation around Gautam Gambhir’s future intensified. Reports suggested that the BCCI might be considering a change, at least for the longest format of the game, and that former cricketer VVS Laxman could be lined up as a replacement. However, these claims were swiftly denied by senior officials.
The BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia publicly dismissed reports of any such move, stating that the board had no intention of replacing the current head coach. A day later, the BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla echoed the same sentiment. He clarified that the leadership was united in its decision and that there were no plans to remove Gautam Gambhir or bring in a new head coach for India. According to him, the speculation circulating in the media did not reflect the board’s stance.
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Gautam Gambhir’s contract as India’s head coach runs until November 2027 and all the indications suggest that the BCCI expects him to continue in the role until then. The coming years, however, will be crucial.
India’s next Test assignment is scheduled for August 2026, when they tour Sri Lanka. That will be followed by a two-match Test series in New Zealand. The final leg of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle will be the 2027 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, a five-Test series set to be played in the first quarter of the year.
For India to qualify for the World Test Championship final in 2027, the team must win at least seven of their remaining nine Test matches. With expectations high and pressure mounting, the path ahead will test both the team’s resilience and Gautam Gambhir’s leadership like never before.
