Gautam Gambhir's Test coaching under scanner; BCCI working on alternative option: Report

While India under the head coach of Gautam Gambhir in white-ball cricket is dominating, the Test team is deeply struggling. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly considering an alternative option for the Indian Test coaching system. 

Since Gautam Gambhir has taken the head coach responsibility of the Indian national cricket team, the Men in Blues are dominating in white-ball cricket, as they won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and Asia Cup T20 2025, both as unbeaten sides. 

However, the Gambhir-managed Test team is deeply struggling in Test cricket, as they suffered a whitewash in the home Test series against New Zealand and South Africa. Although India managed to draw the Test series in England 2-2 in this calendar year, the Test head coach Gautam Gambhir is under serious scrutiny. 

Even though Gambhir's Indian ODI and T20I sides are performing impressively, the head coach is still in question for continuous experimenting in the squad and strategies. Some experts fear that these experiments can backfire on the Men in Blues in future tournaments. 

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It would be interesting if Gambhir continues in Tests too

While the head coach Gautam Gambhir is currently under pressure, the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 can test him hugely. If India fail to impress in the forthcoming T20 World Cup, which India and Sri Lanka will host between February 7 and March 8, Gambhir's condition may be worse. 

However, even if India perform well in the T20 World Cup 2026, there is doubt whether Gambhir would continue the Test coaching. 

A BCCI source recently told PTI, "Gambhir does have (a) strong backing within the power corridors of Indian cricket and obviously, if India retain the T20 World Cup or at least reach the final, he would be seamlessly continuing with his assignment. However, it would be interesting if Gambhir continues in Tests too." 

VVS Laxman isn't interested in coaching senior Test team

While the source added that the former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman isn't interested in Indian Test coaching, it raises a significant report that the BCCI may be busy getting an alternative option for the Test coaching, if required in the near future. 

The source added, "His advantage being (that there) aren't too many alternate options in red ball format since VVS Laxman isn't interested in coaching senior Test team."