Gautam Gambhir faces rising backlash after South Africa whitewash and Zaheer Khan delivers bold warning on leadership

Gautam Gambhir is under heavy pressure after India lost the home Test series to South Africa in January 2025. India were beaten 0-2 at home, which happened in cities across the country through the two-match series that ended last week. This defeat added to the long list of red-ball setbacks that started after Gautam Gambhir became head coach in mid-2024. Former India pacer Zaheer Khan spoke on Cricbuzz on Monday and said Gautam Gambhir must stay calm and face all the criticism that comes with the job.

Zaheer Khan says Gautam Gambhir must stay strong under scrutiny

Zaheer Khan shared his thoughts on Gautam Gambhir’s situation during a Cricbuzz show on Monday, where he discussed the team’s poor run in Test cricket. 

Zaheer Khan said the role brings constant checks and pressure, especially after a big defeat at home. He said, “The scrutiny is always there. You have to balance it. You’ve got to be thick skinned to deal with these criticisms.”

He explained that India’s fans expect wins because the team had been winning for many years across formats. 

Zaheer Khan added that emotions run high when India loses a home Test series. He said, “You are expected to win every game because you have the strength to do it.”

India’s form in Test cricket has dipped since late 2024. India lost a home series to New Zealand in December 2024, went down 1-3 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia in March 2025, and drew 2-2 in England in mid-2025. 

Even though India beat the West Indies 2-0 at home earlier this year, the same strong form did not appear against South Africa in January 2025.

🚨The Supreme Court criticizes Gautam Gambhir for his poor decisions in Indian cricket?👀

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Mukul Rohatgi said that if you can’t even win Test cricket at home, you should step down as India team coach. pic.twitter.com/sLSxhLcoTl

— Mention Cricket (@MentionCricket) November 30, 2025

Zaheer Khan urges India to fix home pitches after weak batting shows

Zaheer Khan also shared what he feels India must fix to improve in Test matches at home. He said India should play on pitches that last five days, especially when the batters are not scoring enough runs. 

This statement came after India crossed 200 only once across four innings in the South Africa series played across two venues in India last week.

Zaheer Khan said on Cricbuzz, “If you cannot score right now, then create pitches that last five days. Even if results don’t come right away, clear thinking is needed.”

India are now fifth in the 2025–27 World Test Championship table with a win rate below 50 percent. 

The latest loss at home has increased the focus on Gautam Gambhir and raised new questions about India’s long-format plans moving forward.