The pressure cooker on Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has reached boiling point after a disastrous Day 3 performance in the Second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. With India staring at a series whitewash at home, the spotlight firmly falls on the tactical decisions and team strategy implemented under Gambhir’s tenure. The batting collapse, wherein India lost seven wickets for just 57 runs, has intensified the calls for an immediate and complete review of the team’s approach to Test cricket.

The Day 3 Collapse A Spectacular Top Order Failure

Day 3 began with India getting 51 for no loss, which was a decent start considering it was time to provide a strong reply to South Africa’s mammoth total of 489 in the first innings. While one opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal, looked promising, what followed was unimaginable as the Indian top order dramatically caved in under the joint pressure of short-pitched bowling by Marco Jansen and the off-spin of Simon Harmer. In no time, the team slumped from a relatively comfortable 95 for one to 122 for seven.

This was no one-off performance. It came after the abject collapse in the chase of a modest target in the First Test in Kolkata. Day 3 here in Guwahati has raised serious questions over the technical game and mental toughness of this Indian batting group whenever tested in conditions that are not subcontinental-flat. The massive 288-run first-innings lead conceded to South Africa has put India’s World Test Championship standing on precarious ground.

Tactical Choices Under Fire The Shastri Critique

The highly critical comments by former India head coach and renowned commentator Ravi Shastri are adding fuel to the fire. Speaking on air, Shastri did not mince words and blatantly questioned Gambhir’s tactics and selection policies. He slammed the approach as ridiculous and confusing, pointing specifically to the constant shuffling of the batting order.

Shastri highlighted the bewildering use of all-rounder Washington Sundar, who batted at number three in the last Test but was suddenly pushed down to number eight in Guwahati. Such inconsistent selection and unclear messaging have brought instability into the playing eleven, stressed Shastri, saying the frequent changes make no sense and indicate a disconnected thought process in the team management. This open criticism by a figure of Shastri’s stature has heaped quite a bit more pressure on the incumbent head coach.

Gambhir’s Red Ball Report Card Declining Results

If confirmed, this series loss at home will be another low point in Gautam Gambhir’s Test coaching career. His reign has been marked by a controversial and often self-defeating preference for underprepared, spinning tracks at home that have mostly backfired and turned out to the disadvantage of India’s own batters. Following the Kolkata defeat, Gambhir said the pitch was exactly what we wanted-a remark that received widespread criticism from experts who think the coach should be protecting his players, not finger-pointing at them.

The statistics are grim. India have now lost three out of eight Tests played in the new WTC cycle, and the number of home losses under Gambhir’s watch is unprecedented for a team historically dominant on its own turf. Critics argue that the horses for courses policy and over experimentation in the crucial number three slot have unsettled the batting unit and contributed to the team’s declining results in the longest format of the game.

The Road Ahead For Indian Cricket

With South Africa extending its lead past 300 runs on Day 3, the likelihood of an improbable comeback is quickly disappearing. The conversation shifts from winning the match to a much larger discussion about accountability and the future direction of Indian Test cricket.

The pressure on Gautam Gambhir is now immense. While his supporters point to his success in white ball formats, the performance in Test cricket, especially the failures at home, necessitates a complete reevaluation. Indian cricket needs stability, a clear vision, and a renewed focus on building batting temperament for all conditions. Day 3’s debacle serves as that painful wake-up call that the current strategy is simply not working.