After India’s heavy defeat to South Africa, head coach Gautam Gambhir said at a press conference that everyone in the team should share responsibility for the 0-2 series loss, but the blame starts with him. “Blame lies with everyone, starts with me,” he said. Gambhir added that the team needs to perform much better, especially after collapsing from a strong position. “We need to play better. From 95/1 to 122/7 is not acceptable. You don’t blame any individual or any particular shot. Blame lies with everyone. I never blamed individuals and won’t do it going forward,” he added.
The 408-run defeat in Guwahati has sparked major criticism against Gambhir, with many fans and analysts calling it one of the lowest moments in Indian Test cricket at home. This result is now India’s biggest home defeat in terms of runs.
‘I am not important,’ says Gambhir when asked about future as coach
Facing tough questions after the match, Gambhir didn’t ask for more time or excuses. Reporters also asked him whether he should continue as India’s Test coach. Gambhir replied that the decision wasn’t his to make. “It is for the BCCI to decide. I have said this before as well, Indian cricket is important, I am not important. I am the same guy who got results in England, won the Champions Trophy, and the Asia Cup. This is a team which is learning,” he said.
Under Gambhir, India have now lost 10 out of 18 Tests. After being whitewashed by New Zealand last year, the team saw a complete rebuild, but the outcome against South Africa turned out to be very similar.
Gambhir has also been criticised recently for constantly changing the playing XI and focusing more on all-rounders rather than specialist Test players. When asked about what kind of cricketers succeed in the longest format, Gambhir said the team needs stronger personalities, not just flashy talent. “You don’t need the most flamboyant and talented cricketers to play Test cricket. What we need is tough characters with limited skills. They make good Test cricketers,” he said.
How netizens reacts
India were chasing a target of 549 but crumbled for 140 in just 64 overs. Ravindra Jadeja was the only standout performer with 54 runs. The margin of defeat also broke India’s previous worst home loss – a 342-run defeat against Australia in Nagpur in 2004 – adding to the public outrage.
After already facing heavy criticism following the Kolkata Test, Gambhir now finds himself under even more pressure. Social media has been flooded with memes, harsh comments and mockery targeting the head coach.
A user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Thank You Gautam Gambhir for burying our test cricket 10 kms in the ground. A team who used to be invincibles in home has now got cleansweeped twice!! I hope the BCCI sack him today only instead of saving him!!”.
Thank You Gautam Gambhir for burrying our test cricket 10 kms in the ground. A team who used to be invincibles in home has now got cleansweeped twice!!
I hope BCCI sack him today only instead of saving him!! pic.twitter.com/tcQh9mz13W
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) November 26, 2025
Another said, “GG is the reason for whitewashing against NZ & SA at home”.
One more tweet surfaced where a user shared his sentiments saying, “The Indian cricket team was beautiful before Gautam Gambhir became coach”.
The Indian cricket team was beautiful before Gautam Gambhir became coach.#INDvsSA #TestCricket #GautamGambhir pic.twitter.com/joa5iJPFlC
— Mamta Jaipal (@ImMD45) November 26, 2025
Another wrote, “Thank You Gautam Gambhir for making us the most embarrassing test team in the world!!”.
While there were moments of fortune on Day 5, including a no-ball reprieve for Sai Sudharsan and a dropped catch of Kuldeep Yadav, India failed to make anything meaningful out of them. Sudharsan battled 139 deliveries for just 14 runs, and Kuldeep fell for five, reflecting the batting unit’s lack of confidence and clarity.
This defeat comes after India lost the opening Test at Eden Gardens by 30 runs on a pitch that drew widespread scrutiny. However, the Guwahati surface was considerably more balanced, yet India crossed the 200-run mark only once across the four innings of the series – a statistic that has now become a key talking point in the mounting outrage against the coaching setup.
