After ten defeats in 19 Tests and WTC hopes fading, Amit Mishra says ‘give Gautam Gambhir more time’

Amit Mishra and Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir‘s record in white ball and red ball cricket as Indian men’s team coach has been a story of two polar opposites. In the white ball cricket, especially T20s, India have been a team to beat, Ireland and England would disagree.While India have lost T20 series against Ireland and England after Shreyas Iyer assumed T20I captaincy after India’s 2026 T20 World Cup triumph against Suryakumar Yadav, there’s little denying the fact that the Men in Blue are among the ruthless side in the T20 internationals. India didn’t lose a T20 series between 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cup.In ODIs too, India won the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. While they have lost some series here and there, there’s not much to worry about for India in the format.The worst for India under Gambhir’s coaching has come in the Tests. In the six Test series that India have played since Gambhir took charge as head coach (one-off Test against Afghanistan not included), they have won just two – against Bangladesh and West Indies at home.India lost 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia 3-1 and drew the series in England in 2025 2-2. However, the worst part is that India have lost two home series, that too they have been clean swept, against New Zealand (3-0) in 2024, and South Africa (2-0) in 2025.

Overall, India have won seven Tests and lost ten and drew two out of 19 Tests since Gambhir has become the head coach (not including one-off Afghanistan Test)

Gautam Gambhir’s record in Tests as India coach

India are scheduled to play Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in the two-match series starting later this month (Aug 15), and then they will travel to New Zealand for the two-match series before hosting Australia for the all important Border-Gavaskar series at the start of 2027 for the five-match Test series.With 48.15% of points, India are at fifth position in the World Test Championship (WTC 2025-27) points table, and it is highly likely that they will not make it to the WTC final for the second cycle in a row.With such an awful record in Tests under Gambhir, there have been talks about the split coaching previously, separate coaches for white ball and red ball cricket. However, talking to TimesofIndia.com, former India leg-spinner Amit Mishra backed Gambhir for the role and suggested that players should take “more responsibility”.“It’s tough for the coach. I think players need to take more responsibility. One coach for all format has been the norm for years. You have to give time to any coach. In Test matches, we have new players with less experience. It takes time for coaches and players to develop,” Mishra said in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com.“It took 1-1.5 years for Rahul Dravid to establish himself. Then performance improved. Players need to take responsibility, understand the wicket’s behavior. You are selected from 140-145 crore people, you have to adapt according to the wicket and situation. That’s why you’re playing at the top. I don’t think any blame should be given to the coach.”“Give him (Gambhir) time in red-ball. He needs to explain to new players (in the squad). A coach’s job is to work on mental aspects, skills, but players have to play. In our time, players did it. You have to take stress, understand. You have to spend time, change according to the situation, player, bowler, wicket. Players need to take more responsibility. A coach’s job is to guide, plan, but players have to execute,” Mishra added.It’s not just the overall win-loss record, but Indian team’s tactics since Gambhir has assumed the role of head coach have also been under scrutiny. India have not sticked to a settled batting order, especially number three, with Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, and even Washington Sundar.However, Mishra believed that Gambhir and team management should be given some more time to prove themselves. “We don’t see it here, but they spend time with them (in the nets), and see who’s batting well and who isn’t. They have that in mind. We only see the changes. According to the wicket, situation, maybe Sundar was fitting, so they put him there (at number three in South Africa series). They see who bats well, bowls well. They’re trying to find the best combination for 11 in Tests. Give them time.”