Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has firmly dismissed any possibility of Gautam Gambhir being sacked as India’s head coach, despite the team’s disappointing 30-run loss to South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens. Instead, Ganguly urged the side to regroup, rethink their approach, and focus on winning matches through discipline and hard work rather than depending heavily on spin-friendly pitches.

The defeat in Kolkata marked India’s ninth Test loss under Gambhir’s tenure—an uncomfortable statistic considering it is already two more than the number of wins. Four of those losses have come at home, including the infamous 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand last year, where India’s strategy of preparing turning tracks had backfired spectacularly.

A similar pattern resurfaced in the opening Test of this series, raising questions about India’s pitch preferences and tactical planning. Speaking to India Today, Sourav Ganguly emphasised that changing the coaching staff is not the solution.

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“No, no, there’s no question of sacking Gautam Gambhir at this stage,” he said. “As a team, they need to come together and commit to working hard to win Test matches. On flat pitches, the game becomes tougher because both teams can pile on big first-innings totals. But in India, the nature of the surface changes quickly on Days 4 and 5, so patience is key.”

Ganguly also highlighted India’s proven ability to take 20 wickets even on good batting tracks. He recalled their performances at The Oval and Edgbaston, where the bowlers delivered under pressure. “Swing comes into play in India when the ball gets old. The team has the skill. It’s just a matter of mindset,” he added.

At the same time, Ganguly noted that Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill have already shown they can succeed on truer surfaces, particularly during the recent England tour.

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“Gautam as coach and Shubman as captain did exceptionally well in England on good batting pitches. I firmly believe they can do the same in India.”

Interestingly, Ganguly’s stance on avoiding rank turners contrasts with the events in Kolkata. As CAB president, he had earlier stated that India had not requested a sharply spinning track, but after the loss, he admitted they had been given exactly what they had asked for. India now turn their attention to the second Test, starting November 22 at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium, where the pressure to level the series will be immense.