India’s Humiliating Home Test Loss to South Africa Has Fans Questioning Gautam Gambhir’s Credibility 

Gautam Gambhir’s tenure also included India's 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss, suffering a 3-1 defeat to Australia in the away Test series.

India’s Humiliating Home Test Loss to South Africa Has Fans Questioning Gautam Gambhir’s Credibility 

Gautam Gambhir was slammed for India's humiliating defeat to South Africa at the Eden Gardens. (via India Today)

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Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir finds himself at the center of criticism, following the Men in Blue’s humiliating defeat to South Africa in the first Test at the Eden Gardens. India lost the match by a margin of 30 runs, with the two sides wrapping up proceedings by Day 3 itself. 

The surface at the Eden Gardens turned out to be challenging for both the Indian and South African players. South Africa opted to bat first on Day 1, and got off to a quick start, thanks to a 57-run opening stand between Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton. However, the Proteas could not withstand the sheer brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah, who claimed a five-wicket haul to bowl out the visitors for just 159 runs.

India’s second innings display was equally precarious, managing only a 30-run lead. The Men in Blue, in their first innings, could only put up 189 runs on the board. With the Proteas forced to come out to bat on Day 2, early wickets put India in control, until South African captain Temba Bavuma played a gritty 55-run knock off 136 balls to take his side to a respectable second innings total of 153 runs.

India, chasing 124 runs, however, folded for just 93 runs, as spinner Simon Harmer routed the home team with an eight-wicket match haul. For head coach Gautam Gambhir, it marked a new low in red-ball cricket, given it was the Men in Blues’ second home defeat in a chase under 150 runs over the past year. While Gambhir might have enjoyed success in white-ball cricket, famously winning the 2025 Champions Trophy, he has struggled as a coach in the longest format. 

Under his tutelage, the Men in Blue have played a total of 18 Tests, winning seven matches, while losing nine, including an embarrassing 0-3 defeat to New Zealand at home in 2024. Gambhir now faces unhappy Indian cricket fans and trolls, who have questioned the 44-year-old’s tactics and knowledge of the conditions at the Eden Gardens. Some have even asked for the former India batter to step down. 

Ahead of the series decider in Guwahati, Gambhir faces a major headache over India’s batting order, amid uncertainty over a no. 3 batter. He was compelled to pick Washington Sundar in that position for the Kolkata Test, but might look for a change in second Test.

Fans slam Gautam Gambhir following India’s humiliating defeat to South Africa in Kolkata 

Indian cricket fans tore into head coach Gautam Gambhir and his strategies, after the Men in Blue suffered a 30-run defeat to South Africa in Kolkata. The Men in Blue fell prey to a skillful bowling display by 36-year-old Proteas spinner Simon Harmer, who finished as the POTM.

Fans slam Gautam Gambhir
Fans made calls for Gautam Gambhir’s sacking, following India’s embarassing defeat to South Africa. (via X)

Taking to social media, fans went on to label Gautam Gambhir as the ‘worst coach ever’, despite the 44-year-old having guided the team to dominant runs in white-ball cricket. Many fans pointed out Gambhir’s flawed decision-making, noting that the former Indian batting icon was behind Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the longest format, as well as keeping deserving players out of the team.

Fans also slammed the current team India head coach for appointing Shubman Gill as Test captain, despite the very little experience that the 26-year-old has in the format. Social media users also pointed to how the team had only lost two Tests in eight years at home during Ravi Shastri’s tenure as head coach, but has already lost twice of those in a year in Gambhir’s tenure.

Gambhir will be under immense pressure heading into the 2nd Test, which starts on November 22, at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati. Should India lose the encounter, it would mark another historic low for the team having lost two Test series in a year, for the first time in many years.

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