Gautam Gambhir’s Arrogance After Losing Home Test Series to South Africa Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans

During the press conference, Gautam Gambhir attributed the defeat to South Africa to batting failure and the team's ongoing transitional phase.

Gautam Gambhir’s Arrogance After Losing Home Test Series to South Africa Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has been slammed for his arrogance, even after South Africa defeat. (via X)

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It has been a tough time for India head coach Gautam Gambhir, given the team suffered a humiliating 0-2 white-wash defeat to South Africa in a Test series at home. Gambhir’s insistence on looking back at his achievements as coach left fans furious, with calls emerging for his sacking.

India suffered a 408-run defeat to the visiting Proteas in Guwahati, marking a home Test series loss to South Africa for the first time in 25 years, a new low in Gautam Gambhir’s tenure. Since the 44-year-old took over as the head coach, the Indian team has fared poorly in red-ball cricket, losing a home Test series 0-3 to New Zealand last year, followed by a 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

Not only has Gautam Gambhir invited criticism for his strategies in red-ball cricket, including a muddled negative approach, lack of stability in the batting order, increasing reliance on all-rounders over specialist players, and flawed game-plan, but also for his ‘arrogance’ and bullish remarks. Gambhir’s post-match press conference, after the Guwahati Test defeat, has also left Indian cricket fans furious.

The 2011 World Cup-winner faced some tough questions after the team’s disastrous display, with his response grabbing attention on social media. When asked whether he is still the right man for the Test job, Gambhir adamantly suggested that the decision remains in the BCCI’s hands. He then proceeded to take a swipe at the media for overlooking his successes, since he replaced Rahul Dravid in July 2024:

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.

The 44-year-old note how guided the Indian cricket team to victory at the 2025 Champions Trophy, and the 2025 Asia Cup. When queried about the New Zealand setback, Gambhir conveniently ignored the question by exclaiming that he led a young Indian side to a hard-fought 2-2 series draw in England.

His comments have been criticized by cricket fans across India, with many suggesting that the former Indian batter deserves to be sacked solely for the press conference, and not for results. He added:

People keep forgetting it. I am the same guy who got results in England with a young team. You guys will forget very soon. A lot of people keep talking about New Zealand. I am the same guy under whom we won the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup as well.

Thereafter, it remains to be seen what lies ahead for the Indian Test team, given it remains out of action until August 2026. The Men in Blue next face Sri Lanka in a two-match away Test series, followed by a two-Test tour to New Zealand.

Fans slam Gautam Gambhir for his bullish remarks at press conference, following South Africa defeat

As the visiting South Africa red-ball side swept India in a two-match Test series, cricket fans across India have started questioning head coach Gautam Ganbhir’s capabilities. Many urged the BCCI to consider sacking Gambhir from his position as head coach, and Ajit Agarkar from his role as chief selector. 

Gautam Gambhir fans sack
Fans have called for Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir to be sacked from his role. (via Hindustan Times)

Fans targeted Gambhir for the decline of India’s status as a premier side in the longest format. Many of them felt that constant changes to the squad and the playing XI have led to the downfall, while a few others focused on his post-match interview. Some fans pointed to how ‘arrogant’ he was, despite the consistent failures in red-ball cricket, with India having lost ten out of the 19 Tests so far. 

A few others exclaimed that Gambhir seemed irrelevant after he blamed the team’s packed schedule for the South Africa series defeat. Some fans even went to the extent of comparing the 44-year-old Gambhir to Australian Greg Chappell, infamous stint as head coach of the Men in Blue. Gambhir’s win rate of 39 percent in Test cricket was also highlighted by many, after the interview. 

Nonetheless, it seems that BCCI fully trusts Gautam Gambhir’s abilities, with eyes set on winning the upcoming ICC 2026 T20 World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The Men in Blue have been placed in Group A, alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, the USA, the Netherlands, and Namibia. 

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