Ravi Shastri trolled Gautam Gambhir? Ex-India coach's 'never easy' statement after series loss to NZ goes viral

Ravi Shastri has thrown his support behind Gautam Gambhir, defending the newly-appointed head coach amid mounting criticism after India's shocking Test series loss to New Zealand.

New Zealand pulled off a historic victory by thrashing India by 113 runs in the second Test in Pune, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead to win their first-ever Test series win on Indian soil.

Ravi Shastri backs Gautam Gambhir, calls for patience after India's shocking home Test series loss to New Zealand

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has been facing the heat from fans and critics after the team lost the first-ever Test series at home since 2012 when England defeated them. However, Gambhir has now found an unexpected supporter in Shastri, the former Indian head coach.

After the Indian cricket team’s embarrassing setback, fingers pointed at both Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma for tactical lapses, but Ravi Shastri has a different take on the drama. He pointed out that no head coach is spared immense scrutiny, especially in a cricket-obsessed nation like India.

With his own past experience in the hot seat, the former Indian captain empathized with the daunting task Gambhir has on his hands. As soon as Ravindra Jadeja’s wicket fell in the Pune Test, Ravi Shastri said on-air that “never easy being a coach of a team that has a big following.”

Gautam Gambhir will soon learn: Ravi Shastri

The former Indian coach said that Gambhir has just taken the job, calling the early stumbles “learning moments.” Ravi Shastri admitted that New Zealand crushed India badly, but it is still early days in Gambhir’s career as a coach, urging people to give him some time to learn from his mistakes.

Ravi Shastri said on JioCinema: “New Zealand have beaten them handsomely in both the Test matches. It’s food for thought. He (Gambhir) has just taken over the job. It’s never easy being the coach of a team that has such a big following. It’s still early days in his career as a coach. But he’ll soon learn.”

Notably, Gautam Gambhir took over from Rahul Dravid in July 2024. However, Gambhir’s debut assignment against Sri Lanka saw a successful T20I clean sweep, but then the team stumbled in the ODI series, losing 2-0—a series loss to Sri Lanka after nearly three decades.

Now, with New Zealand's triumph added to the mix, the pressure is building fast on Gambhir, and his Gambhir’s next moves will be under a fierce microscope. Well, India's Test series against New Zealand got off to a shocking start in Bengaluru, with the decision to bat first on a cloudy morning backfiring severely.

India struggled against the Kiwis

The Indian batting lineup was dismantled for a mere 46 runs, their lowest Test total on home soil. New Zealand capitalized on India’s early mistakes, posting a commanding first-inning score of 402, putting the hosts under intense pressure in the Bengaluru Test.

In a spirited response, India’s batting order found its rhythm in the second innings. Sarfaraz Khan led the charge with a stellar 150, while Rishabh Pant came agonizingly close to a century, falling just short at 99. Virat Kohli (70) and Rohit Sharma (52) also chipped in to lift India to 462, giving the bowlers a total to defend.

However, with only 107 runs needed for New Zealand to win, India’s bowling attack couldn’t deliver a breakthrough, and New Zealand comfortably chased down the target with eight wickets in hand. The second Test in Pune only deepened India’s woes, exposing a vulnerability against spin bowling.

Facing a massive target of 359, Indian batters struggled against Mitchell Santner’s spin, with the Kiwi star finishing with 13 wickets to help New Zealand script history in India. The third and final Test will be played in Mumbai from November 1 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.