Although the Men in Blue won the ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup, both in 2025 under Gambhir, India's Test whitewashes against New Zealand (0-3 in 2024) and South Africa (0-2 in 2025), both at home, laid bare Gambhir's coaching credentials in the longest format.
India had lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3 in Australia too in 2025. Former England cricketer Monty Panesar felt Gambhir should take up coaching in the Ranji Trophy. “Gautam Gambhir is a good coach in white-ball cricket because he has been successful,” Panesar told ANI.
“He could become the Ranji Trophy coach, and he should talk to the coaches who have coached in the Ranji Trophy about how you build a team in red ball cricket,” added the England spinner with Indian roots.
Gautam Gambhir road to India coach's job
A former India opener, Gambhir has been been equally successful in Tests and white-ball cricket during his playing tenure. Following his retirement, Gambhir took up the mentorship role in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In his first two seasons, Gambhir guided Lucknow Super Giants to back-to-back playoff finishes in 2022 and 2023.He returned to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2024 season, guiding them to their third IPL title, which played a crucial role in him being appointed as the head coach of the Indian national team. With the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin retiring from Tests, Panesar felt it will take time for the Indian team to rebuild.
What's next for Gautam Gambhir & India?
In 2026, Gambhir's major assignment is the T20 World Cup, that starts in February at home. After the success in two major white-ball tournaments in 2025, expectations will be high from the Suryakumar Yadav's side. India have been clubbed in Group A alongside Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan and United States.
As of late December 2025, Gautam Gambhir is facing significant heat following a series of disappointing results for the Indian Test team.
The "Ranji Trophy Coach" Suggestion
In a recent interview (December 29, 2025), Monty Panesar argued that while Gambhir has proven his worth in white-ball cricket (winning the 2025 Champions Trophy and Asia Cup), he lacks the strategic depth required for Test cricket.
Gaining Red-Ball Experience: Gambhir should coach a Ranji Trophy side to better understand how to build and sustain a team over five days.
4 Consulting Veterans: He advised Gambhir to speak with established domestic coaches to learn the nuances of red-ball management.
5 Transition Struggles: Panesar noted that India is currently "weak" in Tests following the retirements of legends like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
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Current Status of Gambhir’s Coaching Role
Despite the public criticism and rumors of a "split coaching" model, the BCCI has officially stood by Gambhir.
| Feature | Details |
| BCCI Official Stance | Vice-President Rajeev Shukla and Secretary Devajit Saikia have called reports of his removal "baseless" and "speculative." |
| Contract Length | Gambhir is currently slated to remain the all-format head coach until the 2027 ODI World Cup. |
| The VVS Laxman Rumor | Reports suggested VVS Laxman was approached for the Test role, but the BCCI denied this, and Laxman reportedly prefers his role at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). |
| Recent Test Record | Under Gambhir, India has won only 7 out of 19 Tests, including rare home whitewashes against New Zealand (0-3) and South Africa (0-2). |
What’s Next?
The immediate focus for Gambhir and Team India shifts away from the red ball.
Would you like me to find the full schedule for India's upcoming T20 World Cup matches or the squad announced for the New Zealand ODI series?
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