India's head coach Gautam Gambhir launched a fierce defence of his team's recent Test performances following a convincing ODI series victory against South Africa. Gambhir, in a combative press conference, addressed the heavy criticism that came after India suffered a stunning 2-0 whitewash in the preceding Test series at home.
ODI Victory Overshadowed by Test Criticism
The Indian team secured a 2-1 ODI series win after thrashing South Africa by nine wickets in the decisive third match in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. However, the triumph was immediately followed by Gambhir's pointed remarks about the backlash from the Test defeats. He expressed surprise that the media narrative ignored a crucial factor: the absence of captain Shubman Gill due to injury.
"Look, there were a lot of talks, no doubt, because the results didn't go in our favor," Gambhir stated. "But the most surprising thing is that no one wrote that we played the first Test match without a captain, who didn't bat in both innings. And the margin of defeat was just 30 runs."
Gambhir Defends Transitional Test Team
Gambhir reiterated that the current Test squad is undergoing a significant transition and lacks experience in red-ball cricket. He emphasized that losing an in-form captain like Gill, who had scored around 1000 runs in his last seven Test matches, was a massive blow against a strong South African side.
"When you go through a transition and you lose your captain in that series, who is also the in-form batter in red-ball cricket... then obviously it will be difficult to get the results," he explained. He questioned why this critical context was missing from public discussions, which instead focused on pitches and other external factors.
A Sharp Rebuke to Outsiders
The head coach took particular aim at suggestions from individuals outside the cricket establishment. He singled out an IPL team owner who had publicly suggested the concept of 'split coaching' for the national team.
"People who have got nothing to do with cricket have said things. An IPL team owner wrote about split coaching. So this is a surprising thing," Gambhir remarked. He firmly established a boundary, stating, "It is very important for people to stay in their domain. Because if we don't go into someone's domain, then they also don't have any right to come into our domain."
The Test series loss was historic, marking India's first defeat to South Africa at home in over 25 years. It also represented Gambhir's second series loss in the four Test series he has overseen as head coach, interrupting India's decade-long dominant streak at home.
The ODI series provided redemption. After South Africa's record-equalling chase in the second ODI threatened another series loss, India delivered a commanding performance in the decider. Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets each, while Yashasvi Jaiswal's maiden ODI century, supported by half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, sealed a comprehensive win.
