(Image source from: PTI)
Gautam Gambhir has recently made history by becoming the first Indian coach to secure two ICC trophies, having won the T20 World Cup 2026 title in addition to the Champions Trophy 2025. India faced some challenges early on but managed to deliver their best performance when it mattered, earning consecutive T20 World Cup championships. Nevertheless, the renowned former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has cautioned Gambhir that his significant challenge lies more than a year ahead, in the form of the 50-over Cricket World Cup 2027, which will take place in South Africa. "His main challenge in the white ball format will come in South Africa in 2027. The conditions there will put him to the test, but I believe he will succeed with his current team," Ganguly mentioned in a conversation with Boria Majumdar for Money Control. India heartbreakingly fell short in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, remaining unbeaten until the final match, where they lost to Australia.
Gambhir, who was part of the World Cup-winning team in 2011, now has the responsibility to bring home the title as head coach, with the 2027 edition likely being the last chance for prominent players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to secure the trophy.
Ganguly also noted that Gambhir and the Indian team need to enhance their performances in Test cricket. "In the red ball format, he needs to improve. The best way to do this is to stop focusing too much on the pitch. He should put the pitch out of his mind. Look at the England series—he couldn’t control the pitch conditions and the results showed that. He should not have to play on turning tracks at home. Good pitches will lead to better outcomes," Ganguly added. However, he expressed his confidence in Gambhir as the Indian head coach. "Gautam is an excellent coach. If you recall, I mentioned on your platform before the Border Gavaskar Trophy that this guy needs some time. He excels as a white ball coach, especially in the current conditions. He has a talented team and is a very strong coach," Ganguly stated. Gambhir will redirect his attention to Test and ODI cricket once the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season comes to an end.
