When Gautam Gambhir took over as Team India's head coach in July 2024, he was expected to usher in a new era of fearless cricket.
Two years later, few can question his success on the biggest stages. India have won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 under Gambhir, making him one of the most successful Indian coaches in terms of silverware.
Yet, for all the glory, the Gambhir era has also been marked by a series of historic setbacks that have repeatedly raised questions about India's consistency outside major tournaments.
The latest blow came in Ireland, where India suffered a shock T20I series defeat despite arriving as reigning world champions. Under new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, India were outplayed in all three departments
by a spirited Irish side, adding another unwanted record to Gambhir's tenure.
As India now prepare for a five-match T20I series in England, the coach finds himself at a familiar crossroads - balancing remarkable highs with equally startling lows.
The First Major Setback: Sri Lanka End a 27-Year Wait
The warning signs arrived almost immediately after Gambhir took charge.
In August 2024, Sri Lanka defeated India in an ODI series for the first time in 27 years. It was a result that stunned Indian cricket, considering the gulf in depth and resources between the two sides.
The defeat was viewed as an aberration at the time, but it would soon become part of a larger pattern.
New Zealand Breach India's Home Fortress
A few months later came one of the biggest shocks in Indian cricket history.
New Zealand defeated India in a Test series on Indian soil, becoming the first visiting team from the Kiwiland in 36 years to achieve the feat.
The loss carried even greater significance because it ended India's remarkable dominance at home. For over a decade, India had turned home conditions into an impregnable fortress, rarely allowing visiting sides any opportunity.
The defeat not only exposed vulnerabilities in the batting unit but also raised concerns about India's ability to handle pressure when expectations were at their highest.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy Slips Away
India's difficult run continued during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Having held the prestigious trophy for a decade, India entered the series hoping to continue their dominance over their fiercest rivals.
Instead, Australia reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, ending India's ten-year hold over one of cricket's most celebrated contests.
The defeat was particularly painful because it also damaged India's World Test Championship ambitions and highlighted growing concerns about the team's performances in overseas Test cricket.
Champions Trophy Triumph Provides Relief
Amid the criticism and disappointment, Gambhir delivered what every Indian coach is ultimately judged by, an ICC trophy.
Robot Sharma-led India lifted the Champions Trophy in Dubai in 2025, silencing many of the doubts that had emerged after the difficult Test season.
The triumph showcased Gambhir's ability to prepare a team for high-pressure knockout cricket and reinforced his reputation as a coach who thrives on the biggest occasions.
For a while, it appeared as though the setbacks of 2024 had been left behind.
South Africa Hand India Another Reality Check
That optimism was short-lived.
Later in 2025, South Africa defeated India in a Test series, adding another significant blemish to Gambhir's record.
The defeat further highlighted India's struggles in red-ball cricket and intensified debates around squad transition, batting inconsistency and leadership in the longer format.
While India remained formidable in white-ball cricket, their Test credentials were increasingly being questioned.
New Zealand Strike Again in 2026
Just when things seemed to be stabilising, New Zealand once again emerged as India's tormentors.
In January 2026, the Black Caps defeated India 2-1 in an ODI series in India, another result that few would have predicted. The Indian side had the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli but even their presence couldn't rescue the home team.
The defeat reinforced a worrying trend under Gambhir - India repeatedly finding themselves on the wrong side of history despite possessing one of the strongest squads in world cricket.
World Champions Once More
If there is one reason Gambhir continues to command immense respect despite these setbacks, it is his team's performances in ICC events.
India responded to every criticism by lifting the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 on home soil.
The victory underlined a fascinating characteristic of Gambhir's India: whenever the stakes are highest, the team invariably finds a way to deliver.
While bilateral defeats have hurt, India's ability to peak at global tournaments has remained unmatched.
Ireland Create Another Unwanted First
The celebrations from the World Cup triumph had barely settled when another shock arrived.
India travelled to Ireland for their first assignment as world champions and were comprehensively beaten in the T20I series.
The defeat was historic.
Ireland had never defeated India in a T20I series before, yet they managed to outplay the visitors with the bat, ball and in the field.
The result was particularly disappointing because it came under newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, whose partnership with Gambhir had previously delivered IPL success for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024.
The Gambhir-Iyer combination was expected to seamlessly transition into international cricket. Instead, their first assignment together ended in embarrassment.
England Tour Now Becomes a Defining Test
The timing of the Ireland defeat could not have been worse.
India now head to England for a five-match T20I series against one of the strongest white-ball teams in the world.
England's aggressive brand of cricket mirrors India's own philosophy, making the contest a genuine test of character for both Gambhir and Iyer.
A strong performance would quickly restore confidence and prove that Ireland was merely an unfortunate blip.
Another series defeat, however, could revive uncomfortable questions about India's inconsistency and their tendency to stumble against teams they are expected to beat.
The Gambhir Paradox
Few coaching tenures in Indian cricket have been as contradictory as Gautam Gambhir's.
On one hand, he has delivered two ICC trophies in two years, an achievement that places him among India's most successful coaches.
On the other, his tenure has witnessed a string of historic setbacks:
- ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka after 27 years (2024)
- Home Test series defeat to New Zealand after 36 years (2024)
- Loss of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years (2024-25)
- Test series defeat against South Africa (2025)
- ODI series defeat to New Zealand at home (2026)
- First-ever T20I series defeat against Ireland (2026)
The England series presents an opportunity to shift the narrative once again.
Because while Gambhir's trophy cabinet continues to grow, the challenge now is ensuring that India's successes are remembered more than the unwanted records that have accompanied them.
The next few weeks could determine whether the Ireland setback becomes a footnote in a successful era or the beginning of a more troubling trend.
