Overview:
Removing Gambhir from Test coaching could help India focus on winning the next two white-ball ICC trophies. Meanwhile, a new Test coach would have time to strategise for India to regain form in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.
India were on the back foot on Day 3 of the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. After suffering a defeat in the series opener in Kolkata, the Indian team hasn’t shown any improvement in the ongoing game.
India have been struggling to get going, with the Proteas dominating the hosts in all the departments of the game. After allowing South Africa to post 489 in their first innings, India collapsed to 201. The Proteas ended the day at 26/0 in their second innings, leading by 314 runs.
India are on the brink of another home Test series whitewash, with little hope for a turnaround. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has been facing criticism, with many fans and experts calling for split coaching, following the Test team’s performance.
Here are three reasons why India should consider implementing split coaching after the ongoing home Test series against South Africa.
Gautam Gambhir’s Coaching Record: White-Ball Success vs Red-Ball Struggles
Though Gautam Gambhir has faced criticism over India’s Test struggles, his performance in white-ball cricket since assuming the role of head coach has been impressive.
Under Gambhir, India have been dominant in white-ball cricket, winning 22 of 25 T20Is, including five bilateral series and the 2025 Asia Cup. In ODIs, they’ve won 9 out of 14 victories, including a Champions Trophy success earlier this year. However, India’s performance in Tests has been below par, with just seven wins from 16 matches before the ongoing South Africa series. This includes heavy losses to New Zealand and Australia.
India remained unbeaten in home Test series for over a decade, from 2013 to mid-2024. However, they are now on the brink of losing their second home Test series since Gambhir took over in the latter half of 2024. The stark difference in their success in white-ball and red-ball formats suggests that there is a need for a change in coaching for Tests, while retaining Gambhir for T20Is and ODIs.
India Can Learn from England’s Four-Year Split Coaching Experiment
Team India could draw lessons from England’s experience with two coaching models in the past four years. After a challenging 2021 season, England switched to a split-coaching system, appointing Brendon McCullum as the Test head coach and Matthew Mott to oversee the white-ball formats in 2022.
England’s split-coaching model brought success, including a T20 World Cup win and 13 Test victories. However, after a mixed 2024, they switched back to a single-coach system under McCullum in 2025, resulting in poor performances, including a Champions Trophy exit and a home ODI series loss to South Africa.
England’s recent 0-3 ODI loss to New Zealand and disappointing Test results, including a home series draw with India and a 0-1 deficit in the Ashes, highlight the benefits of split-coaching. This should encourage Team India to consider a similar approach.
Right Time for India to Explore Split Coaching
Timing plays a key role in any strategic or personnel change, especially when it’s an untested approach. It’s clear that only the Test team requires a change, as the white-ball teams are still achieving strong results under Gautam Gambhir’s guidance.
With the Test team still young and India’s next red-ball series almost a year away, this is the perfect opportunity to identify and appoint the right coach for the Test side. Meanwhile, Gambhir has a busy calendar in white-ball cricket, with the T20 World Cup next year and the 2027 ODI World Cup to focus on.
Removing him from Test coaching could help India focus on winning the next two white-ball ICC trophies. Meanwhile, a new Test coach would have time to strategise for India to regain form in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.