Pressure is mounting on Gautam Gambhir after the Test side struggled in the Test series against South Africa. (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra) Virat Kohli’s elder brother Vikas Kohli has sparked a new conversation about India’s red-ball innings with a sharp post on Threads that landed right in the middle of a tense fourth day of the Guwahati Test. With India chasing an improbable 589 and slumping to 27 for 2 at stumps, his report added another layer to the ongoing scrutiny over the team’s choices and direction. In his post, Vikas suggested that the recent shift in approach has unsettled a system that once delivered results.
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Without naming anyone, he hinted at interference with the current setup. “There was a time when we played to win even in overseas conditions. Now we are playing to save the match… even in India… That’s what happens when you try to boss and change unnecessary things that weren’t broken,” he wrote.
Vikas Kohli on Threads
Vikas Kohli on Threads
The comment was widely interpreted as a reference to head coach Gautam Gambhir’s leadership and India’s recent inconsistent performances.While the original post was widely shared as screengrabs on X, the post is no longer visible on his handle. The situation on the field was still unhappy. Defending WTC champions South Africa declared at 260 for 5 earlier in the day, putting India under pressure with a target that had no real precedent in domestic conditions. India lost both openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul before settling for 27 for 2, leaving the middle order to fend off a spirited South African attack. This phase came during a transformative period for Indian cricket. The team is still finding its way after the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket. With India now on the brink of defeat and South Africa dictating the terms in Guwahati, the final day holds more uncertainty than optimism. Whether the team can stabilize or slide further will shape not only the matchup, but the broader conversation, which has only grown stronger. The fifth day will also determine whether South Africa can beat the hosts to secure a clean draw or India will hold on for the draw.
