India series losses under Head Coach Gautam Gambhir: Full List & Analysis (Tests & ODIs)

Gautam Gambhir began as India's men’s National Cricket Team Head Coach in July 2024 when he took over from Rahul Dravid; this was the beginning of a new era for the country. Although during this period there have been many successes with the Indian team winning important events within white-ball cricket events under him, the side has not performed consistently in the Bilateral Tests and ODIs. While the available talent within the Indian team are many and demonstrate great depth, India continues to be inconsistent overseas and has lost its dominance at home in these two longer formats of the game. As a result of all the above information, Gambhir's strategies and methods as a coach have been heavily scrutinised with many mixed opinions on such things as selections, bowling plans and batting orders primarily in red-ball cricket games.

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Since Gambhir became coach of the Indian men’s National Cricket Team, they've suffered a total of six series losses in all formats by January 2026, at both home and away; as a result of the many losses, they have received much media, analyst and fan discussion about the Indian team being inconsistent throughout the Tests and ODIs. There needs to be greater consistency demonstrated, particularly in regard to selection policies and plans for bowling and batting adjustments when needed for red-ball formats. The table below shows the Opponents, Results and Grounds of each Series Lost by India during Gautam Gambhir's coaching tenureship.

Series India Lost Under Gambhir (Summary)

Breakdown of Each Series Defeat

Home Series Losses

1. Test vs New Zealand (2024)
India suffered a rare 3‑0 home Test whitewash against New Zealand. This was their first home Test series defeat in over a decade and highlighted vulnerabilities in red‑ball batting and bowling.

2. Test vs South Africa (2025)
Against South Africa, India lost the two‑match Test series 2–0 at home. This marked a significant low for India in Test cricket, with both defeats featuring comprehensive performances by the visitors.

3. ODI vs New Zealand (2026)
In a tightly contested ODI series on home soil, India lost 2–1 to New Zealand, marking the first time in years that Indian conditions did not yield a home ODI series win.

Away Series Losses

1. ODI vs Sri Lanka (2024)
Gambhir’s first major assignment was an ODI series in Sri Lanka. India lost 2–0, ending a long‑standing dominance in this format in Sri Lankan conditions.

2. Test vs Australia (2024‑25)
India lost the Border‑Gavaskar Trophy 3–1 on Australian soil, despite winning the first Test. This was India’s first Test series defeat to Australia in a decade and represented a key setback in red‑ball cricket.

3. ODI vs Australia (2025)
In the white‑ball leg on the same tour, India lost the ODI series 2–1, dropping crucial matches in unfamiliar overseas conditions.

What the Series Losses Reveal

India has demonstrated their prowess in one-day cricket - both limited overs and Twenty20 International Cricket - by remaining unbeaten in T20 International matches, and by winning multiple International Cricket Council (ICC) trophies with Gautam Gambhir as captain of the national team. However, their performances have not been as impressive as it relates to the team’s Test and One-Day International (ODI) records.

The poor results in the team’s Test and ODI formats have generated much discussion, as there have been several concerning trends regarding India’s inability to play well in Tests, due to the fact that India suffered the first home Test whitewash in decades last season, and it has been nearly thirty years since India lost a home ODI series to the nation of Sri Lanka, which is a historic event.

Under Gambhir’s leadership, the Indian team has also experienced poor performances with regards to batting in critical situations. In the home Tests, the batting unit has been bowled out multiple times for very low scores, which is unusual in their history. These events have prompted a lot of discussion surrounding Gambhir’s coaching style and the need for the Indian team to take a closer look at their Strategic Plan for future ICC Tournaments (ODI and T20 World Cups and Tests) and their upcoming tours to play red-ball cricket.

Even with the recent losses to Sri Lanka, the future schedule for India’s national team is filled with narrow-margin assignments that may prove to define Gautam Gambhir’s position as coach. There will be a Test series against England, as well as the ICC Tournaments. Therefore, should India perform well in these events, it may be able to shift some of the negative perceptions that have been held against Gambhir, especially if results improve in Test cricket. For the time being, however, the fact that Gambhir has lost six series’ while in charge remains a significant topic of conversation around team leadership, coaching strategies and overall direction.