"Mistake Of The Coach": Gautam Gambhir's Report Card Is In Reds After India's Loss To South Africa
India suffered two Test clean sweeps in 12 months, with the latest one against South Africa hurting them badly
India suffered two Test clean sweeps in 12 months, with the latest one against South Africa hurting them badly. India failed to chase 124 in the fourth innings of the first Test against South Africa. In the second match, the Gautam Gambhir-coached side lost by 408 runs - the biggest margin of defeat in the format at home. After the series loss, Gambhir has been the target of intense scrutiny. Former India star Parthiv Patel made some interesting observations on India's defeat.
"There are two things. One is the mistake of the coach. The batters and bowlers are doing their job. But the question is, are we playing the right XI? Does India need so many all-rounders in Test cricket? I believe that Test cricket is a game of specialists. You must have six batters. The best thing is you have a wicketkeeper-batter who is among the best and has an average above 40. Then you need four bowlers and one all-rounder," Patel said on Star Sports.
"Actually, we are blessed that we can call both Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar all-rounders because they bat and bowl well. Then you have Kuldeep, who is a good wrist-spinner, and two quality pacers. If it is a green wicket, then play an extra pacer. But that extra all-rounder - we have seen the value of a player increasing, and we have seen the difference impact players make in the IPL. We are not playing with a proper batter or a proper bowler. I am not picking on Nitish Kumar Reddy, but I think this is important for India to change their thinking," said Parthiv Patel.
Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble, a leading wicket-taker, expressed disappointment with India's "complete surrender" to South Africa, which resulted in their first series loss to the Proteas in 25 years on home soil. He said that "constant changes to the playing XI, batting orders, and frequent rotations prevent stability" and that Team India must "deeply reflect."
India succumbed to their second series loss at home - a whitewash in back-to-back years - as incredible performances from spinner Simon Harmer and all-rounder Marco Jansen handed the Proteas a massive 408-run win to seal a 2-0 series victory, their first in India since 2000. After a 0-3 whitewash to New Zealand last year, Team India, under Gautam Gambhir's coaching, finds its World Test Championship (WTC) final chances under serious threat for the second cycle.
Speaking on Cricket Live, JioStar expert Kumble said, "The results, especially today's defeat to South Africa and the 3-0 loss to New Zealand, reflect broader issues beyond just outcomes. India appeared well-positioned in some areas but ultimately faltered. What's needed is a different mindset for Test cricket; constant changes to the playing XI, batting orders, and frequent rotations prevent stability. While injuries and form dips are understandable, India must take time to deeply reflect. With the next Test not until August 2026, there is room for thoughtful discussion about the future direction of Indian Test cricket."
India Cricket Team
South Africa Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir