Coaching Records of Gambhir and Shastri

Gautam Gambhir's coaching achievements can be assessed separately for white-ball and red-ball formats. While his performance as head coach in white-ball cricket has been commendable, his record in Test matches has raised concerns. Following India's recent loss to England in the first Test in Leeds, questions have emerged regarding Gambhir's coaching approach. Comparisons with former coach Ravi Shastri have become a frequent topic of discussion.

India's recent T20I series victory against South Africa has further solidified their status as T20 World Cup champions. With an unbeaten streak in T20Is, it is essential to evaluate the coaching performances of Ravi Shastri and Gautam Gambhir up to this point.

Test Series (2017–2021)

Under Ravi Shastri's leadership, India showcased impressive performances in Test cricket, achieving notable victories overseas, particularly in Australia (2-1 in both 2018-19 and 2020-21). Domestically, they dominated teams like West Indies, South Africa, and Bangladesh. However, their performance in England (losing 4-1 in 2018) and New Zealand (losing 2-0 in 2020) was disappointing. A significant achievement was reaching the final of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021, despite losing to New Zealand.

ODI Series (2017–2021)

During this period, India enjoyed considerable success in ODIs, winning several bilateral series, including a 5-1 victory in South Africa (2018) and a 2-1 win in Australia (2019). They also reached the semi-finals of the 2019 Cricket World Cup in England, where they were narrowly defeated by New Zealand.

T20I Series (2017–2021)

In T20Is, India excelled, winning numerous away series, including those in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. They also claimed the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka in 2018 and achieved a remarkable 5-0 series victory in New Zealand in 2020. However, their performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup was underwhelming, as they were eliminated in the Super 12 stage.

Test Matches

Gautam Gambhir's tenure as a Test coach has not yielded positive results thus far. He faced a disappointing home series loss against New Zealand and suffered three defeats in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Recently, India lost the first Test of their tour to England. Out of 11 Test matches during his coaching period, India has won only 3, lost 7, and drawn 1, resulting in a low win percentage of 27.27%.

T20 Internationals

Gambhir began his T20I coaching career on a high note, leading India to a clean sweep against Sri Lanka shortly after the retirement of senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the format. Since then, the team has performed admirably, winning 13 out of 15 T20Is under his guidance, giving him an impressive win percentage of 90%.

One Day Internationals (ODIs)

Gambhir's initial foray into ODIs was challenging, with India losing the first series against Sri Lanka 2-0, including a tied match. However, the team rebounded strongly, winning 8 consecutive matches, culminating in a significant title victory at the Champions Trophy 2025. Overall, he has coached India in 11 ODIs, achieving 8 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie, resulting in a win percentage of 72.72%.