Here’s how Indian head coaches have fared in home Tests since 2000/01

Since the turn of the millennium, India cricket has seen a wide range of head coaches, each bringing their unique vision and tactical approach to the national level. Test team. Test cricket on home soil has always been India’s formidable fortress, a place where great teams are built, strategies tested and reputations both made and broken. The performance of Indian head coaches since the 2000/01 season at home in Test matches is a fascinating story of tactical brilliance, consistency and, at times, unexpected underperformance.
Gautam Gambhir’s Test struggles highlight home woes
The entrance to Gautam Gambhir As India’s head coach in Test cricket, he was met with much impatience, given his pedigree as a courageous former opener and his pragmatic approach to the game. However, Gambhir’s entry into the role was terribly disappointing, with the team failing to register the country’s dominance under his leadership. Out of 9 home Test matches, Gambhir’s India won only 4 while losing 5, resulting in a disappointing win/loss ratio of 0.80, the lowest for any Indian home coach in that era. Moreover, his era has already witnessed 2 home series defeats – something no other coach has endured after 2000/01 during his tenure.
India’s typically inflexible home advantage has been seriously tested during Gambhir’s tenure. A string of poor performances, questions over lineup combinations and inconsistent batting have all contributed to the recent dismal results. Unlike his predecessors who managed to protect or extend India’s legacy of turning tracks and batting-friendly surfaces, Gambhir’s tactical approaches and selections did not translate into the expected victories. The home Test losses under his leadership are stark, making an urgent recalibration necessary if India is to regain its legendary national resilience.
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Complete review of Indian head coaches at home since 2000/01
A closer look at Indian coaches’ home records since the 2000/01 season reveals a landscape generally characterized by stability and high winning percentages – until the current scenario. John Wrightthe first foreign coach to take charge, has achieved 11 victories in 24 matches, facing just one series defeat and a win/loss ratio of 2.75. Greg Chappell‘s turbulent era saw 3 wins in 6 matches and no series defeats.
Gary Kirsten And Duncan Fletcher the ages have established a gold standard; Kirsten recorded 10 wins and just 2 losses in 19 home Tests (W/L ratio 5.00) while Fletcher did even better (11 wins, 2 losses, ratio 5.50), although each recorded a solitary series defeat. Ravi Shastri revolutionized India’s approach, overseeing 15 wins against just one defeat in 19 matches, with a phenomenal win-loss ratio of 15.00 without a series loss, among the best in history. Anil KumbleIndia’s shortened but effective tenure resulted in 10 wins from 13 matches (W/L ratio 10.00), echoing India’s unbeaten series dominance.
Rahul Dravid kept the fort safe, recording 9 wins out of 13 and no series defeats, maintaining a positive record. Gambhir’s contrast with all his predecessors is stark, with lesser victories and the ignominy of repeated series defeats at home, a rarity in modern Indian Test cricket.
The list below shows performance at a glance:
| Coach | Matches | Won | Lost | Draw | Earn % | Serial defeats |
| John Wright | 24 | 11 | 04 | 09 | 45.83 | 01 |
| Greg Chappell | 06 | 03 | 01 | 02 | 50.00 | 00 |
| Gary Kirsten | 19 | 10 | 02 | 07 | 52.63 | 00 |
| Duncan Fletcher | 15 | 11 | 02 | 02 | 73.33 | 01 |
| Ravi Shastri | 19 | 15 | 01 | 03 | 78.95 | 00 |
| Anil Kumble | 13 | 10 | 01 | 02 | 76.92 | 00 |
| Rahul Dravid | 13 | 09 | 02 | 02 | 69.23 | 00 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 09 | 04 | 05 | 00 | 44.44 | 02 |
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