The coach of India, Gautam Gambhir, has been able to produce results in the white-ball format but his performance with Test matches has been different altogether. India celebrated under the guidance of Gautam Gambhir their victory in the Champions Trophy 2025 and the Asia Cup 2025 but also faced two home Test series whitewash – a loss of 0-3 to New Zealand in 2024 and a loss of 0-2 to South Africa last year. It was also their second Test series loss at home in less than one year after having lost none between 2013 and 2025.
In away Tests, India was defeated by Australia 1-3 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 and drawn 2-2 during the England Test tour in July 2025. The only Test series win under Gambhir’s captaincy came against the West Indies at home with a score of 2-0.
Nevertheless, the recent red-ball loss against the Proteas led DC co-owner Parth Jindal to suggest that the Indian management should think about a split-coaching system for different formats, which Gambhir strongly denied at the post-match press conference.
The Indian coach has dismissed the idea but it now appears to be gaining ground with the former India spinner Harbhajan Singh also in favour of the split-coaching concept.
Harbhajan quoted by ANI said, “Everyone is required to be patient. If you feel like splitting the coaching is necessary, adopting a policy of one for whites and one for reds, then it is not required for now. But in future, if that is the case, you should certainly do it. There is nothing wrong with that.”
Will Gautam Gambhir continue as India Test coach?
Although there has been no official statement, it was reported by many that after the South African series fiasco, the BCCI had contacted the former Indian batsman VVS Laxman to be the head coach for the longest format, but it is understood that he has declined the offer.
Moreover, India has never been able to clinch the World Test Championship (WTC) title, although they have come close twice after reaching the final in 2021 and 2023. In the last cycle, India failed to qualify for the final match and now, being sixth in the points table, they face a very difficult task.
However, at present, Gambhir is likely to persist in the role of coach for all formats and he is supported. India’s next Test duty will be an away series of two matches in August 2026, which is the second half of the year.
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