Indian cricket fans are reeling after a historic and painful home Test series defeat to South Africa, marking a low point for the national team and raising tough questions about the future of the squad under head coach Gautam Gambhir. Despite mounting pressure, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that Gambhir will remain at the helm for all three formats, signaling a vote of confidence in his leadership—even as India’s Test fortunes have taken a dramatic downturn.
"He will remain Head Coach in all three formats, no decision is being considered," a BCCI source stated unequivocally on Thursday, November 28, 2025. This announcement comes in the wake of a 0-2 Test series whitewash at the hands of South Africa, which has left India’s once-imposing home record in tatters and their World Test Championship (WTC) final hopes hanging by a thread.
The scale of the defeat has been nothing short of shocking for supporters accustomed to Indian dominance on home soil. South Africa’s 408-run victory in the second Test at Guwahati was not only their first Test series triumph in India in 25 years—it also condemned the hosts to their biggest Test defeat by runs, and their fifth loss in seven home Tests. The last time South Africa won a series in India was back in 2000, under Hansie Cronje. This time, it was off-spinner Simon Harmer who did the damage, claiming six wickets for 37 runs in India’s second innings to wrap up the series sweep.
South Africa’s dominance was clear from the outset. In the opening Test in Kolkata, India succumbed inside three days on a pitch notorious for its uneven bounce. The visitors outplayed the Indians in every department, especially in the spin-friendly conditions that have traditionally favored the hosts. South Africa posted a commanding 489 after electing to bat first in Guwahati, with all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy notching his maiden Test century with a gritty 109. India’s response was feeble: they were bowled out for 201, conceding a massive 288-run lead.
South Africa, opting not to enforce the follow-on, declared their second innings at 260-5 on day four, setting India a record chase of 549 runs. The home side’s batting frailties were ruthlessly exposed as they crumbled to 140 all out. Ravindra Jadeja put up some resistance with a fighting 54, but wickets tumbled in clusters. Marco Jansen, named player of the match, contributed a quickfire 93 with the bat and took six wickets for 48 runs in India’s first innings, underlining his all-round credentials. "Winning a Test match and series in India is very special," Jansen remarked after the match. "Very well done to everyone for putting their hand up and making this happen."
India’s batters struggled to find answers to South Africa’s relentless bowling attack. Across the two-match series, Indian batsmen averaged just 15.23 runs—an astonishingly low figure and the second-worst ever for the team in a home Test series, better only than their 12.42 average against New Zealand at home in 2002/03. The hosts failed to register a single century in either Test, something that has happened only twice before in Indian home Test history: in the 1969/70 and 1995/96 series against New Zealand. Washington Sundar was the highest run-scorer for India with 124 runs at an average of 31.00, followed by Jadeja’s 105 runs.
Fans and pundits alike have been left bewildered by the dramatic reversal of fortunes. India’s Test side, once nearly unbeatable at home, has now suffered two major series whitewashes in consecutive years—a 0-3 rout by New Zealand last season and now the 0-2 loss to South Africa. The twin blows have shattered the aura that surrounded Indian Test cricket on home turf. Under Gambhir’s stewardship, this marks the third Test series loss in just 16 months, and the second home whitewash. Overall, India has now endured three home whitewashes in Test cricket history, the first coming against South Africa in 2000.
Criticism has been swift and fierce. Some former players and analysts have described the team’s performance as "like school kids," questioning whether India’s batters were "ready for the level" required in the longest format. The lack of application and inability to seize key moments were glaring. "Whether you’re playing at home or away, cricket demands that determination and the extra effort," captain Rishabh Pant admitted in the aftermath. "As a batting unit you need to capitalise on certain moments. As a team we didn’t do that."
The South African bowlers, especially Harmer and Jansen, exploited every weakness. India’s collapse on day five in Guwahati was emblematic of the series: after surviving a couple of early let-offs—Sai Sudharsan was reprieved on four due to a no-ball, and Kuldeep Yadav survived a dropped catch—India lost wickets in a heap. Harmer bowled Kuldeep for five, dismissed Dhruv Jurel for two, and sent back Pant for 13 as India slumped to 58-5. There was no significant resistance from the lower order, and the chase never looked realistic.
Despite the Test woes, it’s not all doom and gloom for Indian cricket under Gambhir. The team has performed admirably in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 matches, maintaining a competitive edge in limited-overs formats. However, the recent Test setbacks have cast a long shadow over those successes, and the pressure to arrest the slide is mounting.
With the World Test Championship cycle ongoing, India’s path to the final now looks uncertain. The latest defeat has left their campaign in a precarious position, and the margin for error is vanishingly small. The selectors and coaching staff will need to address the batting failures and restore confidence in a lineup that, not long ago, was the envy of the cricketing world.
As the dust settles on a humbling home series, the BCCI’s decision to stick with Gautam Gambhir signals a desire for continuity and faith in a long-term plan. Whether that faith is rewarded will depend on how quickly India can rediscover their mojo in Test cricket. For now, the focus shifts to rebuilding and regaining the confidence that once made India’s home record the gold standard in world cricket. The journey back to the top promises to be anything but easy, but with the next round of fixtures looming, there’s no time to dwell on the past.