IND Vs NZ: Gambhir's Era In Peril After Team India's First-Ever Home ODI Series Loss To New Zealand

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has once come under heavy scrutiny after the Men in Blue registered their first-ever ODI series defeat to New Zealand on home soil. India, led by Shubman Gill, lost to the Kiwis by 41 runs in the series decider at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore, surrendering the three-match series 2-1 and marking New Zealand's maiden ODI series triumph in India.

With a mammoth 338-run target set by New Zealand, India were bundled out for 296 in 46 overs, despite a brilliant 124-run knock by Virat Kohli and valiant efforts by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana, who scored 53 and 52, respectively, to give the hosts a glimmer of hope before a late collapse sealed their fate. The 99-run stand for the seventh wicket between Kohli and Harshit briefly revived India's hopes before the lower order collapsed.

Earlier, Arshdeep Singh (3/63) and Harshit Rana (3/84) shared six wickets between them to restrict New Zealand to 337/8, despite centuries by Daryl Mitchell (137) and Glenn Phillips (106), whose dominant partnership powered the visitors to a daunting total.

Another Low for India in Gambhir's Era

Team India's first ODI series defeat to New Zealand on home soil is yet another setback for the Gambhir era, which has witnessed unexpected losses and unwanted records over the past couple of years. Ever since Gautam Gambhir took over India's reins as the head coach, the team has struggled for consistency, with frequent chopping and changing, tactical calls coming under question, and a growing list of rare defeats at home and abroad.

New Zealand was the same team that whitewashed Team India 3‐0 in a historic three‐match Test series at home in 2024, the first time India had suffered a clean sweep in a home Test series of three or more matches, and Gambhir was at the helm as head coach, marking another disappointing chapter under his tenure of just two years.

A series worthy to be called a battle of the best. Tough luck for Team India as New Zealand clinch the series 2-1. Time to shift focus to the T20Is!#INDvNZ | 1st T20I WED, 21st JAN | 6 PM! twitter/75qCkyidie

- Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 18, 2026

Since Gambhir took over as head coach in July 2024, Team India lost the ODI series against Sri Lanka and Australia, the Test whitewash at the hands of New Zealand and South Africa at home, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series defeat to Australia, resulting in India's failure to qualify for the WTC Final, and now ODI series defeat to New Zealand for the first time at home, further denting Gambhir's record and intensifying scrutiny on his coaching.

The few positives from Gambhir's tenure were the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup triumphs, the unbeaten bilateral T20I series at both home and away, a Test series draw in England, and whitewashed West Indies 2-0 in the two-match Test series on home soil, offering some respite amid a challenging tenure.

However, these successes have often overshadowed by a string of high-profile defeats, keeping Gautam Gambhir under constant scrutiny over the last couple of years.

Fans Want Gambhir to be Sacked Immediately

After India lost their first-ever home ODI series to New Zealand, the fans expressed their anger and frustration over another setback under Gautam Gambhir's guidance. As the Kiwis hadn't won an ODI series on Indian soil before their historic 2-1 triumph, the result sent shockwaves through Indian cricket, leaving fans stunned by the unexpected defeat.

As soon as the Men in Blue lost the third and final ODI series in Indore, resulting in a series defeat to the Kiwis on home soil, Gautam Gambhir faced an outpouring of anger from fans on social media, with many demanding immediate changes.

Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts unleashed their fury on Gambhir's coaching, criticizing the head coach for Team India's repeated series defeats at home and away, poor team selections, unsettled key players, and the loss of India's dominance, with many demanding his immediate sacking.

Gautam Gambhir as ICT coach:- Lost BGT 4-1 after.- Lost odi series vs sri lanka.- Lost home test series vs nz.- Lost home test series vs sa.- Lost ODI series vs NZ C team.- First time white washed in home Test series coach ever. Sack him immediately. twitter/6neTGvvmEt

- Noah (@PantasticNoah) January 18, 2026

Thanks to the coach & former BJP MP Gautam Gambhir:- India lost ODI match at Indore for the first time- India lost a bilateral series to New Zealand for the first timeThis man forced Virat Kohli & Rohit to retire from Test Cricket & has now ruined the team#INDvsNZ twitter/TpfHqIICZ9

- Tarun Gautam (@TARUNspeakss) January 18, 2026

A young C Team of New Zealand handed over the ODI series defeat to A Team of IndiaThis is possible only in Gautam Gambhir era twitter/U18MLO6knH

- Veena Jain (@Vtxt21) January 18, 2026

Gautam Gambhir's coaching and team handling are directly responsible for pushing Team India into its worst home phase in years's talk numbers instead of emotions.. Home losses to New Zealand and South Africa; something that was nearly unthinkable a decade ago..... twitter/9Rxty8cgs0

- Sincere Dibya (@TheSincereDude) January 18, 2026

- Dropped Mohammad Shami ❌- Dropped Axar Patel ❌- No Jasprit Bumrah ❌ - No Hardik Pandya ❌- Dropped Ruturaj Gaikwad after century ❌ Is Gautam Gambhir & Ajit Agarkar Era is worst Era of Indian Cricket history? twitter/9PEWAFxTtq

- VIKAS (@Vikas662005) January 18, 2026

Gautam Gambhir is leaving a legacy behind which he won't be able to recall fondly ever. What a fall! Series after series. And he is still experimenting, still making mockery of players in bench forever. @BCCI time to step in. Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar both needs to be shown doors...

- Rana. (@bladeit) January 18, 2026

Gautam Gambhir as head coach and Ajit Agarkar as chief selector have damaged the core of Indian cricket by making poor selections being the richest board with so much talent available, Indian cricket is going through one of its worst phases right now.#NZvIND... twitter/zomNl5x99Q

- Deepak Negi (@AdvDeepakNegi) January 18, 2026

Gautam Gambhir's“domain” must be the domain which includes humiliating India Him as a player is something I will remain grateful for but as a coach he is an arrogant mf!!️ twitter/FHIU7OdEQL

- ♛ (@DelhiKaKing18) January 18, 2026

Obviously I am a casual in terms of how knowledgable people are about cricket on here but if any football manager brings results that Gautam Gambhir has brought at home as a head coach, the manager gets sacked without a second chance.

- Pranav (@pranav_m28) January 18, 2026

Gautam Gambhir is the worst head coach of India in recent times. twitter/faBKcHl7qJ

- Aravind AK (@BeingAravind_) January 18, 2026

With same players india was winning series under Rahul Dravid. But under gautam gambhir looks like every player unsettled expect gambhir fav playes. Gambhir is the main culprit of series loss in home soil.#INDvsNZ | #Gambir | #gautamgambhir | #ShubmanGill

- Saurav Sahil (@sahilSaurav64) January 18, 2026

Meanwhile, under Gautam Gambhir, we've already lost our home dominance in both Tests and ODIs't you dare blame the captain-or RoKo-for that. #viratkohli #INDvsNZ

- Akshat Dwivedi (@akshhhuuu) January 18, 2026

Gautam Gambhir's next assignment is the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, which is crucial in Team India's preparation for the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, beginning on February 7.

The T20 World Cup is a major assignment for Gambhir as the Men in Blue will enter the tournament as the defending champions, having won the title back in 2024 under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma. This time, the team will be led by Suryakumar Yadav in the marquee event, with expectations high for a strong title defense, putting extra pressure on Gambhir to get the team ready and perform in the tournament.

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