Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has reacted to the 0-3 home series defeat against New Zealand in late 2024. Gambhir said that this defeat should be considered as a reminder of the worst level of Indian cricket and the team should focus on the future.
Let us tell you that India, under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, faced elimination in the home series against New Zealand. This was the first time since 2012 that the Indian team lost a home Test series, and the first time in the last two decades that the team finished without a win. This was the second stint as a coach in red ball cricket for Gautam Gambhir, he took over the responsibility from Rahul Dravid.
It is noteworthy that India had entered the New Zealand series with huge expectations after the 2-0 win against Bangladesh. The special thing was that the visiting team’s star batsman Kane Williamson was not a part of the series. Despite this, India were all out for only 46 runs in the Bengaluru Test, dealing an early blow to the team. Pune also failed to make a comeback and the defeat ended an extraordinary home series. The defeat in Mumbai broke India’s 12-year home unbeaten streak and also affected India’s campaign in the World Test Championship.
Gautam Gambhir said on JioHotstar that many people expected India to beat New Zealand easily, but this defeat has become one of the biggest learnings of his coaching tenure. He said, “I am saying from my heart that I can never forget this defeat and should not forget it. I have told the players that it is important to focus on the future, but sometimes it is also important to remember the past.”
According to available information, despite initial challenges in red ball cricket, Gautam Gambhir has led Team India to success in white ball cricket. Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, the team achieved continuous success by winning the 2025 Champions Trophy. Gambhir said that there is pressure on him every day, be it after the New Zealand defeat, after the Australia series or after winning the Champions Trophy. He stressed that the team is representing 140 crore Indians and it is important to understand this responsibility.