Former Australian cricketer and Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has rubbished suggestions that he should coach the Indian team amid their recent Test debacle. India are going through their darkest phase under Gautam Gambhir in the longest format, losing two home series in a span of 12 months.
The Asian giants are in for a tough time in Test cricket following the departure of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin. While India were going through this turmoil, one fan asked Jason Gillespie to coach them, stating that they were in desperate need of his services.
“Jason, you need to coach India now because they are losing, not only losing but being whitewashed twice at home. They really need you,” the user wrote on X.
However, Gillespie rejected the suggestion with a simple two-word reply: “No thank you.
India’s Test performances have dipped since October 2024, losing three of the last four series. First, they were whitewashed 0-3 at home against New Zealand for the first time in history, and then after ten years they lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3 in Australia.
After the loss in Australia, India’s Test team underwent a major overhaul, with Ravichandran Ashwin stepping down midway through the series, while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli hung up their boots after the tour. After these retirements, Shubman Gill was appointed as the leader in red ball cricket.
He made a promising start to his tenure, leading the team to a 2–2 draw in England, followed by a 2–0 series win against the West Indies at home. However, following his injury during the first Test against South Africa, India capitulated in his absence and were whitewashed 0–2.
After this loss, the head coach Gautam Gambhir has faced tough questions over inconsistent selection policies and obsession with diversions. Under Gambhir, India won seven of 19 Tests, lost ten and drew two.
They will next face Sri Lanka in July-August, followed by a tour of New Zealand and a crucial home series against Australia. The Shubman Gill-led side will need to win at least two of the remaining three series to stay in contention for World Test Championship (WTC) final qualification.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
January 2, 2026
