India head coach Gautam Gambhir is under increasing scrutiny as the team continues to struggle in Test cricket, particularly at home. Since taking charge from Rahul Dravid, India have played five Test series and managed to win only one — against the West Indies. They suffered defeats to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, while the England series ended in a draw.
Former head coach Ravi Shastri, speaking on a podcast with Prabhat Khabar, refused to defend Gambhir. He said that while the coach must take responsibility, the players must also be held accountable — especially after India’s dramatic batting collapse against South Africa in Guwahati.
“From 100/1 to 130/7 — this team isn’t that bad. They have the talent, and the players have grown up playing spin. They must take responsibility,” Shastri said. When asked if he was shielding Gambhir, he replied, “I’m not protecting him. If this happened when I was coach, I would take responsibility — but I wouldn’t spare the players in the team meeting.”
Meanwhile, the BCCI has reportedly called for a meeting involving Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and senior board officials. Although Gambhir’s position as Test coach is currently secure, the board acknowledges that the team’s overall functioning needs serious review.
