The Board of Control for Cricket in India has once again put to rest speculation surrounding Gautam Gambhir’s future as India’s Test coach, firmly rejecting reports that suggested a potential change in the red ball leadership group. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia categorically denied claims that Indian batting legend VVS Laxman had been approached to take over as the men’s team’s next Test coach, calling such reports “factually incorrect and baseless.”
Addressing the rumours in an interaction with ANI, Saikia dismissed the chatter outright and made it clear that the board has not taken any steps towards altering the Test coaching setup. “This is totally incorrect news going on. This is totally speculative news. Some very reputed news agencies are also flashing the news. There is no truth to it. BCCI straight away denies. People can think all they want, but BCCI has not taken any steps. This is somebody’s figment of imagination; there is no truth in it, and I cannot say anything except that this is factually incorrect and baseless news,” Saikia said.
India’s Declining Test Performances Under Gambhir
The speculation gathered momentum in recent weeks following India’s disappointing 0–2 home Test series whitewash against South Africa under Gambhir. That setback came on the heels of an even more bruising 0–3 loss to New Zealand last year, also at home, marking India’s first home Test series defeat in 12 years and signalling the beginning of a decline from a dominant era that had been carefully built and sustained by leaders such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for over a decade.
The New Zealand whitewash proved particularly costly, as it denied India a spot in the ICC World Test Championship 2025 final. The recent defeats against South Africa have further complicated matters, with the possibility that India could miss out on another appearance in the marquee one off Test championship clash, depending on how upcoming results unfold.
Overall He Has Been
Despite the turbulence in red ball cricket, Gambhir’s overall tenure as head coach has delivered contrasting outcomes across formats. In limited overs cricket, India have thrived under his guidance, lifting the ICC Champions Trophy and winning the Asia Cup T20I edition with unbeaten campaigns. However, the same success has not translated into Tests, where India have managed just seven wins while suffering 10 defeats and drawing two matches under his leadership.
In terms of series results, India began strongly with a 2–0 home Test series victory against Bangladesh. That promising start was undone by back to back setbacks against New Zealand and Australia, including a 1–3 loss in the Border Gavaskar Trophy away from home. Those results coincided with the retirement of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin from the longest format.
A hard fought 2–2 draw in England, captained by a young Shubman Gill in what was widely regarded as one of the most gripping Test series in recent years, briefly restored optimism. That was followed by a 2–0 home series win against West Indies, further raising hopes of a turnaround. However, South Africa once again exposed India’s frailties, with Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, spinner Simon Harmer and pace all rounder Marco Jansen producing standout performances. India were first denied a modest chase of 124 runs in Kolkata before suffering their heaviest ever Test defeat by 408 runs. Notably, India were without skipper Gill in both Tests after he sustained a neck injury minutes into his batting stint in Kolkata, with Rishabh Pant stepping in as captain.
While the Test results proved damaging, India managed to salvage the overall home season by winning the ODI and T20I series against South Africa by margins of 2–1 and 3–1 respectively, ensuring the tour ended on a relatively positive note.
Gambhir’s Biggest Assignment
Looking ahead, India’s immediate focus shifts away from Test cricket and towards defending their T20 World Cup crown. The tournament begins on February 7, with India entering as reigning champions after lifting the title under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy last year. This time, a new look Indian side led by Suryakumar Yadav will shoulder the responsibility. India will open their campaign against the USA in Mumbai and have been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands and the USA.
Although the young Indian squad has showcased a high standard of T20I cricket through an unbeaten run across series this year, the upcoming World Cup presents a unique challenge. It will be India’s first T20 World Cup in several years without stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and doing so in front of a home crowd adds another layer of pressure and intrigue to the campaign.
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