After this series loss, the most questions are about the role and strategy of head coach Gautam Gambhir. Along with fans, several former cricketers and experts feel that frequent changes in team combination and playing eleven are the major reasons for India’s failure. Even with an important tournament like the World Cup ahead, there is a lack of consistency and a clear plan in the team, which has affected the performance on the field as well.

In this context, Ajinkya Rahane’s comments are of particular importance. He clearly criticized the decision of the team management, though he did not name anyone directly. Rahane said the loss in 5 matches out of the last 9 ODIs shows that frequent changes in the team are having a negative effect. According to him, clear roles of the players, security and confidence of the management are crucial during the preparation of the World Cup, which was lacking in this series.

“Questions will arise. India have lost 5 out of the last 9 ODIs. The main reason for this is frequent changes. When you are preparing for the World Cup, you need a clear message from the security of the players and management,” Rahane said. He also said that it is important to trust a particular party instead of changing parties again and again. Ajinkya said, “If you want to take some players forward in any format, you have to give them a clear role and trust. It’s natural to ask questions, especially from the fans. Indian cricket is deeply connected to people. Everyone wants India to win, especially at home.”

From a match point of view, chasing the mammoth target of 338 runs was not easy. In the beginning, India fell under pressure after losing 4 wickets for 71 runs. However, Virat Kohli brought the team back into the fight with an amazing innings of 124 runs and completed his 54th ODI century. Harshit Rana scored his maiden ODI half-century, while Nitish Kumar Reddy also made important contributions. Yet despite the batsmen’s supportive pitch and short boundaries, the target remained elusive in the end.

Team India’s performance under the coaching of Gautam Gambhir is therefore again under question. Although India won the Champions Trophy in 2025 under him, the consistent failure in ODI and Test formats is cause for concern. Series losses against Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa and now New Zealand added another dark chapter to Gambhir’s coaching chapter. The biggest challenge facing Team India now is to quickly learn from this situation before the World Cup.