Suresh Raina gives Gautam Gambhir clean chit for India’s Test downfall, puts blame on…

Former Team India batter Suresh Raina defended head coach Gautam Gambhir despite the team’s poor performances during the ongoing two-match Test series against South Africa. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that while a coach can offer direction, it is the batters who must put runs on the board.

Gambhir has been under criticism for the team’s performances in Tests in recent times. The Men in Blue suffered a 30-run defeat to South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens. The pressure on him has increased even further as the Temba Bavuma-led team has taken control of the second Test in Guwahati.

With South Africa in a commanding position in the ongoing match, India are on the verge of suffering their first home Test series defeat to the Proteas since the 1999-2000 tour.

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Mixed Results in Gautam Gambhir’s Tenure as India’s Test Coach

Gautam Gambhir has had a mixed run as India’s Test coach since taking over after the 2024 T20 World Cup. He began his stint with the Test team by beating Bangladesh 2-0 at home.

However, India were then whitewashed 0-3 by New Zealand. Notably, it was a major setback in his coaching career. The team also struggled in Australia, losing the series 1-3 and missing the chance to complete a historic third straight Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) win in away conditions.

A leadership transition took place as Shubman Gill took over from Rohit Sharma. India managed to draw 2-2 in a competitive five-match contest in England. The team secured a 2-0 victory against the West Indies on home soil.

Suresh Raina Backs Gautam Gambhir Amid Criticism Over India’s Test Struggles

Suresh Raina came to Gautam Gambhir’s defence amid criticism of India’s Test struggles. Raina said that a coach can offer guidance, but the batters must deliver runs and put in the hard work required to succeed at the international level.

"A coach can only guide. Batsman has to score runs on the field. We need to practice. No fault of the coach," Raina said, as quoted by journalist Abhishek Tripathi on X (formerly known as Twitter).

भारतीय टेस्ट टीम के खराब प्रदर्शन पर सुरेश रैना

कोच सिर्फ गाइड कर सकता है लेकिन बल्लेबाज को मैदान में रन बनाने होते हैं। हमें सुन खेलना सीखना होगा। इसमें कोच की कोई गलती नहीं।

— Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी (@abhishereporter) November 25, 2025

India’s Batting Has Come Under Heavy Criticism

India’s batting has come under heavy criticism during the Test series against South Africa. They failed to chase 124 in the first Test match. The team was bowled out for just 201 runs in the first innings of the second Test, while the visitors posted a total of 489.

South Africa declared their second innings at 260/5 with a lead of 548 runs. India will need a miracle to make a comeback and secure the victory.

Notably, India chased a 406-run target against the West Indies in 1976, which remains the third-highest successful chase in Test history.

At home, India have chased 300 or more only once. That memorable effort came in Chennai in 2008 when they chased down 387 against England, thanks to standout knocks from Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, and Gautam Gambhir.

Also read: Rohit Sharma to come out of T20I retirement? Tournament locked before T20 World Cup Schedule announcement