South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma has come to the defense of India head coach Gautam Gambhir as India’s Test fortunes plummet. Gambhir’s future, particularly as a Test coach, came under scrutiny following India’s home series defeat to South Africa, with fans and critics questioning his suitability for the red-ball role.
The call for a split-coaching model has grown stronger India still struggle in Tests, both at home and overseas, against the best teams. However, in a column for ESPNcricinfo, Bavuma pushed back against the narrative, claiming that India are currently going through a transition phase similar to the one experienced by South Africa around 2019.
Bavuma also criticized the idea of split coaching, calling it counterproductive in a busy international calendar where players are constantly changing formats.
“Some may talk more about the story that maybe Gambhir should get on with the white-ball stuff and let someone else handle the duties of Test cricket,” Bavuma wrote. “Splitting the roles of red and white ball coach was something we tried as part of the Proteas set-up in 2023.”
The South African captain explained that while the idea initially made sense, it ended up causing confusion for the players who had to adapt to different coaching styles and philosophies in the short gaps between series.
“At the time, the split rule made sense. But now having one coach across all formats works much better for the players in terms of continuity,” Bavuma added. “It’s also advantageous in terms of philosophy and style of play. I don’t think many teams are moving to a split format system anymore, and to be honest, I’m not really one.”
Gambhir’s highs and lows with India
Bavuma pointed this out Gambhir’s contract runs until the 2027 ODI World Cup and suggested that India would benefit from supporting him at this stage.
Under Gambhir, India enjoyed significant success in white-ball cricket, including the Champions Trophy title and an unbeaten run in the bilateral T20I series between the two World Cups. However, India’s performances with the red ball have dipped alarmingly. Losses to Australia away, followed by home defeats against New Zealand and South Africa, experienced a rare period of sustained test reversals.
As things stand, while Gambhir’s white-ball credentials remain strong, his future as India’s Test coach continues to hang in the balance.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
January 31, 2026
