There’s been a lot of talk lately about the BCCI eyeing VVS Laxman to step in as India’s Test coach. That’s right after India’s second straight home series whitewash in a year with Gautam Gambhir at the helm.
Monty Panesar, the former England spinner, weighed in and thinks Gambhir should coach a Ranji Trophy team first.
His point? If Gambhir really wants to get Test cricket right, he needs to dive into domestic red-ball coaching and learn what it takes to build a proper Test side.
Is Gautam Gambhir getting demoted?
Panesar told ANI that Gambhir’s already shown he knows his way around white-ball cricket. India won the Champions Trophy with him earlier this year, and they went on to win the men’s T20 Asia Cup in September.
But Monty still isn’t sold on Gambhir’s red-ball chops. He said Gambhir should get hands-on in the Ranji Trophy—work with coaches who’ve been in the trenches and figure out how to craft a winning Test team from the ground up.
“Gambhir’s a good white-ball coach; he’s been successful. But he could really benefit from coaching in the Ranji Trophy, talking to those experienced domestic coaches about what goes into building a red-ball team,”
Panesar said. “Right now, India’s Test side just isn’t strong. That’s the truth. It takes time. When you lose three big players to retirement, it’s tough to keep everyone else ready.”
Will Gautam Gambhir hang up his boots as Test coach?
After India’s 0-2 loss in South Africa, rumors started flying that VVS Laxman might take over. But BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia shot those down, calling the reports “factually incorrect and baseless.”
“There’s just no truth to it,” Saikia told ANI. “People can speculate all they want, but the BCCI hasn’t made any moves. Even some big news agencies are running with this story, but it’s totally wrong.”
Looking ahead, Gambhir’s next big test is the T20 World Cup at home in February 2026. After winning two major white-ball trophies in 2025, there’s a lot riding on Suryakumar Yadav’s squad.
India’s been drawn into Group A with Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States. Expectations? Through the roof.
With 13 years on the line, Ashish Kumar Singh loves everything when it comes to movies, music, travel and pop culture. Formerly employed at ANI, Pinkvilla, India Today and HT, Ashish has interviewed some of the top celebrities of India, including Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, among others. Breaking news excites him and deadlines are what he chases. Interviewing comes naturally to him. Hit him up at ashish.kumar02singh@gmail.com.
