A new report has made a significant revelation about the future of Gautam Gambhir as the all-format head coach of the India National Cricket Team.

The report claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reached out to the legendary batter, VVS Laxman, for the Test head coach job after India’s series loss to South Africa.

Gautam Gambhir struggling as India head coach in Tests

Since becoming the all-format head coach, Gautam Gambhir has steered Team India to the ICC Champion Trophy 2025 and the Asia Cup 2025 triumphs in a quick span of time.

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India have shown sheer dominance in T20I cricket and instilled fear in the minds of the opposition teams, and in ODIs, they have delivered good performance under Gambhir.

However, when it comes to Test cricket, things have been quite doom and gloom. In the purest format of the game, Gautam Gambhir’s India have struggled badly, and a lot of questions have been raised over the head coach’s tactics.

Gambhir has been under fire for relying more on the all-rounders in a format that demands specialists to get the job done. Also, the head coach has tried to implement a T20I-style formula in Test cricket, which hasn’t worked, and India have been at the receiving end of shocking Test series losses.

Gautam Gambhir oversaw 2 home Test series whitewashes

In his first Test series as head coach at home, Gambhir guided India to a 2-0 triumph over Bangladesh. However, what came next was horrendous as the Indians were whitewashed by the Kiwis at home. It was the first-ever 0-3 clean sweep that India suffered at home in cricket history.

Following that, India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 1-3. The new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship started with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, and a young Indian team drew the series 2-2.

Things started looking good from thereon as India also whitewashed West Indies at home 2-0, but the hosts suffered yet another setback when the Temba Bavuma-led South Africa humbled India with a dominant 2-0 clean sweep.

BCCI looked at VVS Laxman as Gautam Gambhir’s replacement

Now, a report in PTI has revealed that someone who matters in the BCCI had once again informally approached VVS Laxman to check if he would be interested in becoming the Test head coach after India’s loss to South Africa.

VVS Laxman, who was initially seen as Rahul Dravid‘s successor as head coach, denied the job and stated that he is happy being the ‘Head of Cricket’ at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Gautam Gambhir has signed a deal till the 2027 ODI World Cup, but that contract could prematurely end depending upon India’s performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, as the jury is still out on whether he is the right person to remain at the helm, especially in Test cricket.

“Gambhir does have a strong backing within the power corridors of Indian cricket, and obviously, if India retain the T20 World Cup or at least reach the final, he would be seamlessly continuing with his assignment. However, it would be interesting if Gambhir continues in Tests too,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

“His advantage being (that there) aren’t too many alternate options in red ball format since VVS Laxman isn’t interested in coaching the senior Test team,” the source added.

The report also claimed that there is chaos in the Indian dressing room currently, and players aren’t feeling as secure as they did during Rahul Dravid’s tenure.

Also Read: Gautam Gambhir enjoys vacation in England as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma forced into Vijay Hazare Trophy grind

On Saturday, December 27, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially announced the India U19 squad for the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2026.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Ayush Mhatre has been named as captain of India U19 for the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup and Vihaan Malhotra will be serving as his deputy.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi features in the India U19 World Cup squad

The Boys In Blue will be heading into the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup as one of the red-hot favorites. They are placed in Group B for the World Cup along with New Zealand, USA and Bangladesh.

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India U19 are the most successful team in the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup history, having won the titles in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2022. India’s 5 titles are just one more than the current defending champions Australia, who have won four.

The Boys in Blue will lock horns with USA in their tournament opener on January 15 , before taking on Bangladesh on January 17 and New Zealand on January 24. They will play all their matches at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Just before the start of the World Cup, India U19 will tour South Africa for a three-match series that will be played on January 3, 5 and 7 at the Willowmoore Park.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi will lead India U19 in the South Africa series with Aaron George being vice-captain. This is because Ayush Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra have been ruled out with their wrist injuries and will only return for the World Cup.

The rest of the Indian squad is also a strong one and they would be looking to move on from the U19 Asia Cup setback and clinch a record 6th World Cup title.

“The Junior Cricket Committee has picked the India Under-19 squad for the upcoming three-match One-Day series against South Africa and the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia from 15th January to 6th February, 2026.

“The upcoming edition of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup will feature 16 teams divided into four groups, followed by the Super Six stage, semi-finals, and the final in Harare,” the BCCI said in an official media release.

“NOTE: Ayush Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra have sustained wrist injuries and will miss the South Africa tour. The duo will report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further management of their injuries and will join the team for the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stated.

India’s squad for the South Africa tour:

Vaibhav Suryavanshi (C), Aaron George (VC), Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), Harvansh Singh (wk), R.S. Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A. Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D. Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh, Udhav Mohan, Yuvraj Gohil, Rahul Kumar

India U19 squad for ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026:

Ayush Mhatre (C), Vihaan Malhotra (VC), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Aaron George, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), Harvansh Singh (wk), R.S. Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A. Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D. Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh, Udhav Mohan.

Also Read: Coup inside BCCI? Gautam Gambhir backstabbed as board secretly contacts VVS Laxman for head coach role

England pulled off a stunning four-wicket victory over Australia in the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), but the result was quickly overshadowed by fierce criticism of the pitch after the match ended midway through Day 2. A total of 36 wickets fell across two days, with neither side managing an innings score of 200, prompting both captains to condemn the surface used for the iconic Boxing Day Test.

Bowler-friendly MCG pitch dominates the contest

The match, part of the Ashes 2025–26 series, saw seam bowlers dominate from the opening session. Australia were dismissed for 152 in the first innings and fared little better in the second, folding for 132. England, despite struggling themselves with the bat and being bowled out for 110, successfully chased a modest target of 175 to seal the win.

The unusually short Test immediately drew attention, with fans and pundits questioning how a marquee fixture at the MCG could be over so quickly. It was England’s first Test victory on Australian soil since 2011, but even that milestone could not mask concerns over the playing conditions.

Ben Stokes voices strong disapproval of the surface

England captain Ben Stokes was forthright in his assessment of the pitch, revealing that his feedback to the match referee was “not very favourable.” Speaking after the game, Stokes said the surface failed to live up to the expectations associated with a Boxing Day Test.

“To be brutally honest, that’s not really what you want,” Stokes said. “For a Boxing Day Test match, you don’t expect a game to finish in less than two days.”

Stokes went further, suggesting the reaction would have been far harsher had such a pitch been produced outside Australia. “There would be hell on if that pitch had been produced anywhere else,” he told the BBC, highlighting the imbalance that saw 36 wickets fall without a single innings crossing 200.

Steve Smith admits pitch offered excessive assistance to the bowlers

Australia’s stand-in skipper Steve Smith echoed Stokes’ sentiments, conceding that the surface provided too much help to the bowlers. Smith pointed to the amount of grass left on the pitch as a key factor in the excessive seam movement throughout the match.

“When you see 36 wickets across two days, that’s probably too much,” Smith said. “It probably did a little bit more than they wanted it to. Maybe if we dropped it down to eight millimetres, it would be about right.”

Smith acknowledged that both teams struggled to adapt, with batters rarely given the chance to settle as the ball continued to nip around.

Reflecting on Australia’s twin batting collapses, Smith felt that a lack of meaningful partnerships prevented the game from evolving. “If we could have just built a couple of those partnerships, perhaps the ball would have softened a bit and the game would have played a little easier,” he explained.

The relentless assistance for seamers meant batters were constantly under threat, turning what is usually a five-day spectacle into a frenetic, stop-start contest dominated by bowlers.

Also READ: Ashes 2025/26 – Steve Smith opens up on Australia’s first home Test loss to England since 2011

Rare two-day finish at MCG sparks wider debate

Two-day finishes at the MCG are rare and often remembered for extraordinary circumstances. While some observers likened the match to classic bowler-friendly Tests of the past, many felt this contest crossed the line, depriving fans of extended play at one of cricket’s most celebrated venues.

The independence enjoyed by Australian curators also became a talking point, with Stokes hinting at double standards in how pitches are judged globally. He stressed that while conditions cannot be changed once a match begins, marquee fixtures deserve surfaces that allow a fair contest between bat and ball.

Also READ: From Mitchell Starc to Dale Steyn – Top 5 bowlers with best strike-rates in a calendar year in Tests