The Indian cricket team was at an all-time high when Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach. Rahul Dravid had left after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, and Gambhir had a gun team that he could take even further. Five months later, it had all gone wrong.
That New Zealand whitewash
In November of 2024, India lost to New Zealand. But it’s not just about losing but about how it happened. Kane Williamson, arguably the greatest Kiwi batter, wasn’t part of the series. Mitchell Santner, who was the best New Zealand spinner in the series, played just 1 match. Yet, India wasn’t able to win a match.
From 1933, when India played their first-ever home Test, India had never been whitewashed in a home Test series that had more than 3 matches. This happened for the first time under Gambhir. It was one of the worst moments in India’s Test history.
In the last 12 years, India hasn’t lost a Test series at home. In fact, India had lost just 4 matches at home during this period, and then India lost 0-3 to New Zealand.
Gautam Gambhir’s learning from it
The magnitude was such that Gambhir says he won’t even forget that series. In fact, he uses it as a reminder to remember to never ease up. The Indian head coach doesn’t just use it to remind himself that anything can happen in cricket, but also tells that to his players to ensure they are always on their A-game.
“I don’t think I can ever forget that series, and I shouldn’t. I remind the boys of it as well. It’s crucial to remember the past sometimes, so you never take anything for granted. Everyone thought we could easily beat New Zealand, but that’s the reality of the sport,” Gambhir told Star Sports.
“For me, it’s important that the dressing room never forgets what happened against New Zealand. That experience drives us to never give an inch to the opposition,” he added.
