India’s record-breaking 336-run win over England in the second Test at Edgbaston has probably saved Gautam Gambhir’s position as the head coach. India’s biggest-ever away Test win came at a time when serious questions were being raised about Gautam Gambhir’s coaching in red-ball cricket.
With the ongoing five-match Test series now level at 1-1, the Indian cricket team has not only kept the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy alive but also silenced growing criticism surrounding Gambhir’s tactic and strategy. But Shubman Gill emerged as the game-changer for the head coach.
Gill led from the front for the Indian cricket team with two sensational knocks—269 in the first innings and 161 in the second innings—and Akash Deep’s 10-wicket haul helped the tourists to finally break their 91-year-long drought at Edgbaston. They clinched their first win at Edgbaston in 19 attempts.
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Shubman Gill’s heroics in Edgbaston saved Gautam Gambhir’s job as India’s head coach
Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir, who took over as the Indian head coach in July last year, had started his tenure with highs in the white-ball cricket, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 triumph in Dubai, but Test performances had been poor under his helm.
Read Also: Shubman Gill declared anti-Kohli by Nasser Hussain after Edgbaston Test
The Indian team suffered a humiliating whitewash by New Zealand at home and then lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 to Australia, missing the WTC final. After a shaky start to the new WTC 2025-27 cycle with a loss at Headingly, many believed India’s poor form would continue in Tests.
But the turnaround in Birmingham has flipped the script, giving Gambhir a much-needed lifeline. For now, the head coach has some relief, but the result of the ongoing five-match Test series in England will certainly decide his fate.
Gautam Gambhir has got a lifeline with Edgbaston Test win: Surinder Khanna
The former Indian cricketer Surinder Khanna felt the Edgbaston win had come as a major boost for head coach Gautam Gambhir and said that the team’s confidence will grow from here. With Jasprit Bumrah returning at Lord’s, Khanna feels India’s chances in the Test series look stronger moving forward.
Surinder Khanna was quoted as saying by NDTV: “In Gambhir’s tenure we have lost against New Zealand, Australia, and the first Test as well, so he has got a lifeline here. Credit goes to Shubman Gill and the team. The confidence will be high from hereon. Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. If we play to our potential, the results will come. Bumrah will hopefully be back, which will definitely be helpful.”
Surinder Khanna credits Shubman Gill’s captaincy and bowling brilliance for India’s historic win
He praised Shubman Gill for his outstanding performance in India’s historic win at Edgbaston. He highlighted how Gill, as captain, led from the front as well as lauded Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep for their brilliance with the ball against England in the second Test.
Khanna signed off by saying, “Captain leading from the front, the first captain to score a double century and a ton in the same innings, six wickets each by Siraj and Akash Deep. I congratulate the side for their victory. I remember Gill said after the first test he acknowledged that he needed to play longer innings, which was practical. He is young; give him time.”
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