Gautam Gambhir has responded firmly to his critics after India’s humiliating 408-run defeat to South Africa in Guwahati, insisting he remains the same coach who delivered silverware to the country and stressing that accountability must be shared across the dressing room. The blunt post-match reaction comes amid mounting pressure: since Gambhir took charge in July 2024, India’s home Test record has raised questions, and the Guwahati loss — which completed a 2–0 series whitewash by the Proteas — has intensified scrutiny.
“At the end of the day, there is no hindsight in sport,” Gautam Gambhir said in the post-match press conference. “Whatever decisions we’ve taken, we’ve done in the best interest of the team. Indian cricket is important; I’m not important.” He reiterated that the choices made by the coaching staff and selectors were intended to build a long-term core even if they sometimes produce short-term pain.
There’s little doubt South Africa outplayed India across both Tests. Marco Jansen’s hostile spells and Simon Harmer’s guile combined to expose a batting unit that repeatedly surrendered cheap wickets; India slumped from promising positions into dramatic collapses, most notably the slide from 95/1 to 120/7 in Guwahati.
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The result — a 408-run defeat — was India’s heaviest home loss by runs in recent memory and a sharp reminder that talent alone does not guarantee Test success. Gautam Gambhir acknowledged the team is in transition and framed the current struggles as part of a learning curve.
“This is a young group. They need time to learn; they’re doing everything possible to turn the tide,” he said, pointing to injuries (notably Shubman Gill’s unfortunate neck problem) and retirements that have hollowed out experience at the top. But he resisted the idea of excuses: “The buck stops with everyone,” he added, calling for senior players to step up in pressure moments.
#WATCH | Gautam Gambhir: “I’m the same guy under whom India did well in England, won the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup”
When asked if he’s the right man for the Test job:
“It’s for the BCCI to decide”Credit: BCCI #IndianCricket #INDvsSA #BCCI #TestCricket pic.twitter.com/RrLRGx1szP
— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) November 26, 2025
Stand-in captain Rishabh Pant echoed the call for improvement. “We need to get better,” Pant said during the presentation. “You can’t take cricket for granted, even at home. We must stick together, take learnings and move forward.” Pant’s insistence on collective responsibility reflects Gambhir’s public stance: accountability across the board rather than scapegoating individuals.
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Tactical and selection questions are likely to dominate headlines. Critics point to frequent shuffles in the top order and experimentation that has yet to yield clear solutions at No. 3 and No. 4 spots that were shuffled between Karun Nair, Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan and others during the series. Many pundits suggest India needs a stable top five, more explicit role definitions, and better preparation to deal with high-quality seam and spin under both foreign and subcontinental conditions.
Even as debate rages, Gautam Gambhir stressed continuity: he highlighted recent white-ball successes — the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup — to remind stakeholders that his methods have produced results. Still, white-ball triumphs offer cold comfort when red-ball form collapses at home.
What follows now is crucial. The BCCI, selectors and coaching staff must assess whether current strategies can be tweaked without losing sight of long-term planning. For the players, immediate demands are precise: apply technique, temper aggression with patience, and build partnerships. For Gambhir, the test is proving that coaching philosophy and selection calls can produce a resilient Test side — not just occasional white-ball glory.
If India is to recover quickly, it will need honest introspection, consistent role clarity, and a renewed focus on fundamentals. Gambhir’s message is that he will shoulder responsibility. Still, he also expects others in the room to do the same — and to produce the corrective action that India’s red-ball fortunes so urgently need.
