Indian cricket always makes headlines whenever a player scores a century or breaks a record. Similarly, the team's coaches often come under the spotlight, receiving both praise and criticism. The current head coach of the Indian cricket team, Gautam Gambhir, is no exception. Having previously coached a couple of Indian Premier League IPL teams, Gambhir was appointed as the Indian national team coach in 2024, succeeding Rahul Dravid.
Gambhir follows a unique style of leadership. Many players have noted that he is not overly vocal during training sessions but provides guidance precisely when needed, like a 'pinch of salt' to enhance the team's performance. His first major assignment as head coach was the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, where India emerged victorious, defeating New Zealand in the final.
India endured a 3-0 home loss to New Zealand and a 3-1 defeat against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Following that, many doubted Gambhir's ability as a Test coach. India then had a difficult assignment lined up against England, and the challenge became tougher with the red-ball retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.