Gautam Gambhir has been on a winning streak since taking over as the head coach of Team India. He has already created history by becoming the first individual to win two ICC titles as a coach, leading India to victory in the Champions Trophy 2025 held in Pakistan and the T20 World Cup 2026 hosted at home. However, according to former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, the true test of Gambhir’s capability will emerge during the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. Ganguly noted that the conditions and pitches there would pose a significant challenge to Gambhir’s white-ball strategies.
In an interview with Majumdar, Ganguly stated that while there is no doubt Gambhir is an excellent coach, how he leads the team on South African soil will be crucial. He expressed confidence that with the talented players at his disposal, Gambhir could succeed and win the World Cup. Ganguly analyzed that although Gambhir’s mark is clearly visible in limited-overs cricket, overcoming the pressure in a mega-tournament held in countries like South Africa would serve as a major milestone for him as a coach.
During the same discussion, Ganguly also touched upon Red-ball (Test) cricket. He suggested that Gambhir still needs to improve regarding the team’s performance in Tests and the preparation of pitches. He reminded that a coach has little control over pitches during overseas series, and true talent lies in preparing the team for such situations. Citing the example of the series in England, Ganguly advised that in the Test format, the focus should remain on the game rather than overthinking the nature of the pitches.
