India looked stunned in Guwahati — and for good reason. South Africa didn’t just win; they dismantled India methodically. They batted for more than 150 overs, bowled India out in 84, secured a 288-run lead, returned for another long grind of 78.3 overs, and then knocked India over again within a day.
- A 408-run defeat.
- India’s biggest Test loss at home.
- A wake-up call that went unanswered.
While fans got caught up debating whether coach Shukri Conrad’s “grovel” comment carried racist undertones, the real issue went unnoticed — this team’s mindset has shifted.
Ravindra Jadeja practically admitted it in his press conference:
“Hopefully, we will try and save the Test match… even if we aren’t winning the series, at least we can draw the match, which is going to be a win-win situation for us.”
This is not the India that went unbeaten at home for more than a decade, nor the team that made two WTC finals. That India hunted wins. This one is content with drawing dead rubber Tests.
That is the real story of Gambhir’s tenure so far — not just losses, but a slow erosion of belief.
The Good: What Gambhir Actually Handled Well
It would be unfair to deny Gambhir his due. He did step into a dressing room very different from the one Rahul Dravid had. The squad was older, flawed at home against spin, and overdue for tough calls.
- Managing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Exit
Gambhir’s team handled two giant farewells quietly and professionally. Rohit was informed he wouldn’t captain the side in England — a difficult but timely decision. Kohli, too, was evidently told that his Test performances no longer guaranteed him a place of privilege. No drama. No leaks. A clean transition.
- Protecting Bumrah and Other Key Players
After the Australia collapse, the management resisted pressure to overuse Jasprit Bumrah. Skipping him for some England matches was the right call — and perhaps one of the few long-term decisions that worked.
- Backing Washington Sundar
Gambhir identified and trusted Washington Sundar. Since being backed in the New Zealand series, Sundar has become one of only two Indian players (with Jadeja) to score 600+ runs and take 30+ wickets in this period.
Not Ashwin-level — but a genuine, valuable Test all-rounder.
The Bad: Where Everything Started Going Wrong
This is where the list gets long.
- Philosophy Over Common Sense
A meme captured it perfectly — Gambhir standing with Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, both guilty of prioritising their philosophy over results.
Gambhir’s obsession with batting depth and all-round options might work on some tours — but not in India. The Ranji system produces excellent specialists. India never needed seven bowlers or extra keepers at home.
Yet in Guwahati, they played:
- 3 specialist batters
- 2 wicketkeepers
- 3 all-rounders
That is not a Test top order — it’s a confused experiment.
- Questionable Player Selections
India desperately needed batters who could handle spin. Instead, they picked Sudharsan, Jurel, and Nitish Reddy over proven domestic players like Sarfaraz Khan and Karun Nair.
Reddy’s case is the most baffling: only 10 overs bowled in 230+ overs of play and two batting failures — yet chosen over established spin players.
- Wrong Pitches for a Young Batting Line-up
When your batting is in transition, you prepare supportive wickets. Your bowlers — especially in India — will still outperform visiting attacks.
Instead, Gambhir wanted turning pitches. Kolkata was “exactly” the pitch he asked for.
The result?
Inexperienced batters struggled even more, and India’s experienced bowlers couldn’t use their strengths.
- Poor Player Development
Under Gambhir, only four players debuted:
Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy, Anshul Kamboj, Sai Sudharsan.
- And none have been groomed properly.
- Sundharsan was dropped right after his maiden fifty.
- Kamboj was thrown into a premature Test in England and then sidelined.
Dravid debuted 11 players in three years — many now core to India’s future. Shastri’s list was even stronger.
Gambhir’s list doesn’t compare.
The Ugly: Mixed Messages, Mixed Priorities, Mixed Vision
Much of the chaos — conflicting messages, confusing selections, unclear direction — has been documented earlier. But it escalated during Gambhir’s post-series press conference.
- He spoke about collective responsibility, but singled out “flamboyant” players.
- He said he wouldn’t make excuses, but blamed transition.
- He distanced himself from the New Zealand whitewash, then reminded everyone he won the Champions Trophy.
The most revealing line was this:
“Start prioritising Test cricket… everyone needs to be a stakeholder… just blaming players or support staff won’t help.”
But no one is better positioned to prioritise Test cricket than the India head coach himself.
Under him:
- No Test specialists were consistently backed
- No format-specific captaincy was considered
- T20/ODI performers were picked on IPL form for Test cricket
The irony?
Gambhir himself was often criticised early in his career for being selected on white-ball success. Maybe, unknowingly, he was hinting that India needs a Test-experienced coach next.
We won’t know — but the signs are clear.
Something between Gambhir and this Indian Test side simply isn’t working anymore.
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