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If you are playing at the highest level, you must perform — otherwise you will have to face the consequences. This was the strong and straightforward message delivered by Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir to his players immediately after India suffered a humiliating defeat to South Africa by a record margin of 408 runs, resulting in a 2-0 series loss.
Sources said that Gambhir’s veiled warning to the Indian Test team happened minutes after he was booed by the fans in Guwahati. The defeat did not just reflect poor performance on the field, but also exposed issues related to consistency, temperament, and tactical preparation.
However, the Indian players are not willing to take all the blame upon themselves. They believe that Gambhir also bears responsibility for the situation spiralling out of control. The toxic atmosphere that troubled the Indian dressing room during the Australia tour continues to haunt the entire setup.
So much so that players today are unsure when to smile and when to be serious. In other words, the dressing room has started to resemble a pathshala — a place where you speak only when spoken to, with no space for natural expression or open communication.
Sources say that Gambhir has become virtually a non-playing captain inside the dressing room. From selecting the playing XI, ordering the curators to prepare a certain kind of pitch, instructing players on how to bat and bowl, setting fields, and deciding bowling changes — he controls every aspect of the game. “In other words, he is also controlling the captain from outside,” a source revealed.
When CricBlogger tried to reach out to top BCCI officials — who, according to Gambhir’s own admission, are supposed to decide on his continuation as Test coach — none of them were available for comment.
Meanwhile, on Day Five of the second Test, when India faced an almost impossible target and needed to show intent, Gambhir is said to have instructed the batters to grind and go completely defensive, instead of allowing them to play their natural game. It was only Ravindra Jadeja who partially defied the team diktat by playing his shots and scoring a few runs. Otherwise, the instruction for the rest of the team was to become strokeless wonders in an attempt to salvage a draw. Throughout the Indian innings, he kept instructing the batters to stay on the front foot only and avoid attempting any adventurous shots.
Sources said that even before the Test match began, there was considerable confusion regarding the nature of the pitch. After conceding nearly 500 runs in the first innings against South Africa, the Indian bowlers openly stated that the surface was flat and offered little assistance. However, their stance changed once the Indian team was bowled out cheaply in their first innings.
Adding to the confusion was a patient and composed knock by Kuldeep Yadav, which left many wondering whether the pitch was truly unplayable or if the Indian batters had simply failed to apply themselves. His resistance raised questions within the team and further deepened the uncertainty around the conditions.
The Indian team is also unsettled by the way Gautam Gambhir has been extending unconditional support to a select group of players, sources reveal. Several members of the squad feel that this preferential treatment has created an unhealthy divide within the team, leading to insecurity and frustration among those who believe they are not being given a fair opportunity. According to insiders, this perceived favouritism has only intensified the tension within the dressing room, adding another layer to the already fragile atmosphere following the series defeat.
Sources also said — instead of staying with the team after the defeat, Gambhir took a flight back home and is expected to rejoin the squad before the ODI series against South Africa begins. The best way to sum up the entire episode was reflected in the headline carried by the official broadcaster, which read “India Humbled”, accompanied by a cut-out image of Gambhir.
