Gautam Gambhir faced tough media questions after India’s 0-2 Test series loss to South Africa in Guwahati. The defeat intensified scrutiny on his coaching as India suffer historic home whitewashes.
Pressure has been mounting on Gambhir, who has become the first Indian coach to suffer two whitewashes in home Test series. In his first year as Test coach, India lost 0–3 to New Zealand and have now succumbed 0–2 to South Africa.
The press did not hold back as one of the reporters asked Gambhir whether he felt he was still the right man for the Test job.
In fact, India have lost five of their last seven home Tests and have been defeated in 10 out of 19 matches since Gambhir took charge as head coach.
“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’. And I sit here, saying exactly the same thing,” Gambhir said after South Africa hammered India by 408 runs on Wednesday.
India were outclassed on a spin-friendly surface in Kolkata in the series opener, losing by 30 runs after failing to chase 124 in the final innings. Fingers were pointed at the quality of the Eden Gardens pitch, but India faltered again despite playing on a far better surface in Guwahati.
Gambhir allowed some frustration to show as he responded to the criticism, taking a swipe at the media for, in his view, conveniently overlooking his successes and focusing solely on Test defeats.
“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. This is a team which has less experience. And I have said it before: they need to keep learning and they are doing everything possible to turn the tide,” he said.
