Gautam Gambhir faces considerable pressure as India’s head coach following a massive 408-run loss to South Africa in the second Test on November 26. Under his leadership, India has suffered five home Test defeats, including two whitewashes first by New Zealand and now by South Africa. Despite these setbacks, the BCCI has expressed confidence in Gambhir and ruled out any immediate decisions, emphasizing the team is undergoing a transition phase.
A BCCI official told The Indian Express, “The BCCI will not rush in taking any decision. The team is in a transition phase. As far as coach Gautam Gambhir is concerned, we will not take any decision on him as the World Cup is around the corner and his contract is till the 2027 World Cup. The BCCI will speak to selectors and team management going ahead but there won’t be any knee-jerk action.”
Gambhir leaves it on BCCI to decide the future
Gambhir, who took charge after the T20 World Cup last year, urged patience while reminding critics of his past successes. At the post-match press conference, he said, “It is for the BCCI to decide. This is something that I said in my first-ever press conference when I became the head coach as well. Indian cricket is important; I am not important. I am the same guy who got results in England and won the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup. This is a team which is learning.”
BCCI to back Gambhir
India does not have any home Test matches scheduled for over a year but will soon begin a white-ball series against South Africa, starting with ODIs from November 30. Gambhir's tenure so far has seen mixed results. While India once dominated at home, under Gambhir, the team has lost four out of eight home Tests, an unusual decline for a historically strong Indian home record. However, the BCCI appears committed to continuity as the team builds toward future events, including the 2027 World Cup.
