IND vs SA, 2nd Test: Gautam Gambhir Finds Support Despite India's Struggles in Guwahati

As India faces a possible Test series whitewash against South Africa after another batting collapse, head coach Gautam Gambhir is under scrutiny. But Suresh Raina has defended him, saying the players—not the coach—are responsible for scoring runs

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir is under immense scrutiny as his team is staring at a Test series whitewash against South Africa following a batting collapse in the second match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. India lost the opening match of the series by 30 runs at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata, making the Guwahati Test a must-win encounter to stay alive.

However, another below-par batting display has put the hosts on the brink of another Test series whitewash at home, inviting severe criticism from fans. Last year, India suffered a 0-3 Test series whitewash at the hands of New Zealand on home soil, and a repeat of that result against South Africa would further intensify the pressure on the team and its leadership.

In the second Test, South Africa declared their second innings at 260/5 and set a 549-run target for India to chase. At Day 4 stumps, India lost openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, and posted a total of 27/2, with Kuldeep Yadav and Sai Sudharsan batting on 4 and 2, respectively, and needed 522 runs to win the match.

Gautam Gambhir Not at Fault

Amid the criticism over India’s poor show in the Guwahati Test and the growing chorus to sack Gautam Gambhir as head coach, Suresh Raina backed his former Indian teammate and insisted that the coach should not be blamed for the team’s batting failures.

Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the Indian Softball Cricket League’s jersey launch, Raina highlighted India’s success in white-ball cricket, especially the Champions Trophy 2025 triumph, and lauded Gambhir’s hard work and guidance behind the team’s recent achievements.

“Gauti bhaiyya (Gautam Gambhir) has worked really hard, aur unki koi galti nahi hai (it is not his fault at all), the players have to score runs. Under him, we have been doing great in the white-ball format, where we just won the ICC Champions Trophy,” Raina said.

“The coaches can only tell you the process, but it is the players who have to go out there and face the balls," he added.

After Gautam Gambhir took over as India’s head coach in July last year, succeeding Rahul Dravid, India won only two Test series in over a year, struggling to find stability in the red-ball format. Apart from the series whitewash against New Zealand at home and the Kolkata Test defeat to South Africa, India relinquished the Border-Gavaskar Trophy following 1-3 series defeat to Australia, and drew the five-match series against England.

Gambhir Should Not Be Sacked

Further speaking about India’s poor show in Guwahati, Suresh Raina stated that it is the players’ responsibility to communicate with the coach if they have any issues, adding that Gautam Gambhir should not be sacked from his post if the team is not performing well.

“If they (the players) are facing any issues, they must be communicating to the coach that this is the issue, and I am sure they must be doing that. If the players do well, then the coach will be also applauded,” the former India batter said.

“But if the team is not doing well, it should not be that the coach should be sacked from his post. It is the players' responsibility; if the players are doing well, this question will not even be raised," he added.

Meanwhile, India resumed their 549-run chase and were reduced to 58/5 in 31.2 overs, following dismissals of Kuldeep Yadav, Dhruv Jurel, and Rishabh Pant. At the end of the first session, India posted a total of 90/5, with Sai Sudharsan and Ravindra Jadeja batting on 14 and 23, respectively, and needed 459 runs to win the match.