Gambhir Under Fire: India's Test Struggles Raise Questions About Coaching Record OR India's Test Woes: Pressure Mounts on Coach Gambhir After England Defeat OR No More Excuses? Gambhir's Test Coaching Record Faces Scrutiny Amid India's Struggles

Saturday - 28/06/2025 00:40

Gautam Gambhir, India's head coach, faces increasing scrutiny after the team's struggles in Test cricket, highlighted by a recent defeat to England under Shubman Gill's captaincy. With only one win in the last nine Tests, including series losses to New Zealand and Australia, pressure mounts. Aakash Chopra emphasizes the need for results, noting the selectors' support.

Gautam Gambhir Faces Scrutiny as India's Test Performance Falters

Gautam Gambhir under pressure as India's Test coach

Former India opener and current head coach Gautam Gambhir is under increasing pressure following the Indian team's concerning performance in Test cricket, despite their continued success in limited-overs formats, including their recent Champions Trophy victory.

The latest setback occurred at Headingley, where India, under the leadership of new captain Shubman Gill, suffered a five-wicket defeat against England. This loss compounds previous series defeats against New Zealand and Australia. Under Gambhir's guidance, India has managed to win only one of their last nine Test matches. This includes a 3-0 whitewash in New Zealand and a 3-1 loss to Australia, resulting in India losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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This difficult period coincides with a transition phase, marked by the retirements of veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket after the series defeat against Australia. While a new team under Gill's captaincy is still finding its footing, their start in England has been disappointing.

Former India batter Aakash Chopra addressed the situation on his YouTube channel, advocating for patience with Gill but also cautioning about the growing pressure on Gambhir. "There is a lot of pressure on Gautam Gambhir. The pressure is absolutely mounting. He has won two matches against Bangladesh and one against Australia, but we lost three to New Zealand, three to Australia, and now one to England. He has been losing and losing.”

Chopra emphasized that there are no more excuses. “The selectors have given everything the coaching staff has asked for. So, if this is the case, then you also need to deliver the results. Period.”

With the England series finely balanced, Gambhir's leadership in the red-ball format is now under intense scrutiny.