NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir's tenure as India's white-ball head coach has delivered impressive results, highlighted by ICC and ACC titles in both limited-overs formats. However, his record in Test cricket has come under scrutiny, particularly after India suffered 10 defeats against SENA nations during this period.
Following India's heavy defeat in the recent two-Test home series against South Africa, sources indicate that senior figures within the BCCI once again sounded out VVS Laxman to assess his interest in taking charge of the red-ball side. The move was informal but reflected growing concern over India's struggles in Test cricket.
However, it is understood that Laxman, a former India great, is content in his current role as Head of Cricket at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and is not keen on a coaching return at this stage.
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Although Gambhir's contract with the BCCI runs through the 2027 ODI World Cup, sources suggest that its future could be reassessed. India's performance at the upcoming T20 World Cup, set to begin in five weeks, is expected to play a key role in shaping any decisions regarding the coaching structure.
Within the BCCI, there is still no clear consensus on whether Gambhir should continue as India's red-ball coach for the remaining nine Tests of the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle.
Having drawn 2-2 in a five-Test away series in England, India have a couple of overseas assignments comprising two Tests each against Sri Lanka in August 2026, and a tour of New Zealand in October, before hosting Australia for a five-Test affair in January-February 2027.
"Gambhir does have (a) strong backing within the power corridors of Indian cricket and obviously, if India retain the T20 World Cup or at least reach the final, he would be seamlessly continuing with his assignment. However, it would be interesting if Gambhir continues in Tests too," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"His advantage being (that there) aren't too many alternate options in red ball format since VVS Laxman isn't interested in coaching senior Test team," the source added.
The Indian dressing room, nowadays, is a confused arena with a lot of players not exactly feeling secured in the Gambhir regime unlike the Rahul Dravid era, when roles were defined.
The players during Dravid's three years' tenure also got a long rope to prove their mettle.
Shubman Gill's exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad had Gambhir's footprints written all over it and it has certainly made a lot of players believe that if Indian cricket's next poster boy could be dumped by the wayside, the next omission number could have anyone's name written on it.
The BCCI always bides time when it comes to taking policy decisions and if one looks at the calendar, after T20 World Cup, there will be two months of Indian Premier League.
People who have the last word in the BCCI will have enough time to take an informed call about split coaching or having a single coach across formats, after analysing India's performance at the global meet.
Going forward, the next two months will be very interesting for 'Guru Gambhir' even if he has his backers in the BCCI.
(With PTI Inputs)
