After India’s Test whitewash against South Africa, head coach Gautam Gambhir faces scrutiny. Leaving his future to the BCCI, calls grow for a red-ball specialist coach to revive India’s struggling performance in the longest format.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has once again come under heavy scrutiny following his side’s humiliating Test series whitewash at the hands of South Africa on home soil. After defeat in the Kolkata Test by 30 runs, the first loss to South Africa at home in 15 years, India suffered a massive 408-run defeat in the second and final Test of the series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
Following the Test series whitewash against South Africa, Gautam Gambhir has been put in the spotlight, as it was India’s second consecutive red-ball whitewash at home, after having been defeated 0-3 by New Zealand last year. In the last 12 months, India managed to win only one Test series, lost three, and drew one, raising questions about the team’s direction and the effectiveness of the current coaching setup.
Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, Team India has been struggling to find consistency in red-ball cricket, with frequent batting collapses, questionable selections, and an inability to adapt to changing conditions.
Gambhir Leaves it to BCCI to Decide his Future
Following yet another humiliating Test series whitewash at home, there has been a growing chorus to sack Gautam Gambhir from his position of head coach, as questions mount over his tactical approach, team selections, and overall suitability to guide Team India in the longest format of the game.
However, Gambhir is aware of the demand for his sacking as a head coach. Speaking at the press conference after the Guwahati Test defeat, the former India opener stated that the BCCI will take a call on his future, adding that Indian cricket is important, instead of any individual, including himself.
“It’s up to the BCCI to decide. I said it in my press conference when I took over as head coach: ‘Indian cricket is important, I am not important’. And I sit here, saying exactly the same thing,” Gambhir told reporters.
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Gautam Gambhir took over the reins of Team India as head coach, succeeding Rahul Dravid, in July last year. Though Team India has had success in white-ball cricket under Gambhir, including Champion Trophy and Asia Cup triumphs, their performances in red-ball cricket have declined sharply, exposing gaps in preparation, squad balance, and long-format planning.
Demand for Red-Ball Specialist Coach
Amid the growing chorus to sack Gautam Gambhir as a head coach, there has been a demand to appoint a red-ball specialist coach to guide Team India in the longest format of the match. The demand was placed by Parth Jindal, chairman of JSW Sports and co-owner of IPL team Delhi Capitals.
Taking to his X handle (formerly Twitter), Jindal expressed his disappointment over another Test series whitewash at home and highlighted the need to have a red-ball specialist coach for the India Test side.
“Not even close, what a complete thrashing at home! Don’t remember seeing our test side being so weak at home!!! This is what happens when red ball specialists are not picked,” Parth Jindal wrote on X.
“This team is nowhere near reflective of the deep strength we possess in the red ball format. Time for India to move to a specialist red ball coach for Test cricket @BCCI” he added.
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Parth Jindal’s demand stems from India’s performances in Test cricket at home and overseas over the past 12 months and the absence of a long-format-focused coaching strategy, prompting calls for a specialised approach to revive India’s declining Test standards.
Should India have a Red-Ball Coach?
In the history of Indian cricket, Team India has never had a dedicated ‘red-ball specialist coach’ as a single coach has always coached the national side for all formats of the game. Following the second consecutive Test series whitewash at home, calls for a dedicated red-ball specialist coach have intensified.
Gautam Gambhir’s record as a coach in Tests is not so impressive, winning seven matches, losing 10, and two draws in 19 games over the last 14 months, with a winning percentage of with win percentage of just 36.84%, underlining how badly the team’s Test form has collapsed during his tenure. The BCCI’s appointment of a head coach for Team India was for all formats of the game rather than having separate coaches for red-ball format and white-ball cricket.
With a Test series whitewash at home, calls for a dedicated red‑ball coach have grown louder, a structure adopted by several Test-playing nations, including England and Pakistan, to better focus on format‑specific preparation. Currently, England has one coach for all formats after Brendon McCullum took over white-ball coaching duties after serving as a red-ball coach
Having a red-ball specialist coach who understands the nuances of the longest format of the game, from pitch conditions and red-ball tactics to patient batting and bowling strategies, could help India rebuild the squad, address chronic weaknesses, and restore competitiveness in the longest format of the game.
However, the decision to appoint a specialist red-ball coach lies in the hands of the BCCI, given that the board has traditionally preferred a single coach for all formats of the game and would need to consider whether a separate role aligns with India’s long-term cricketing strategy.