The Indian Team faced a crushing 408-run defeat at the hands of South Africa following which a chaos erupted in the galleries at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday. Minutes after the match ended, sections of the crowd vented their ire at head coach Gautam Gambhir as loud anti-Gambhir chants were heard after India’s biggest Test loss at home in terms of runs.
As the players gathered for the post-match presentation, the fans from one stand started shouting: “Gambhir, haye haye” and “Gambhir, go back,” as the frustration burst out amidst successive defeats and an unprecedented home series whitewash. Gambhir turned briefly towards the crowd but didn’t react.
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The chants soon grew loud enough to catch the attention of the Indian players. Mohammed Siraj was the first to intervene, motioning the crowd to stop and appealing for decorum to be maintained. As the heckling persisted, Siraj and assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak approached the boundary line, trying to have a word with the group directly. Kotak admonished the hecklers, demanding to know why they were after someone who never failed to speak in favour of Indian cricket.
The situation having escalated, BCCI officials filed an official complaint. Security personnel quickly acted, identifying one of the persons and arresting him. The incident underlined increasing frustration among fans in the aftermath of India’s collapse, which handed South Africa a 2-0 sweep and increased pressure on Gambhir in his maiden year as head coach.
The defeat also deepened India’s worrying trend at home. This was their fifth Test loss in their last seven matches on Indian soil something not seen in 66 years. It also marked only the third time in history that India have lost home Test series in consecutive years, following last year’s 3–0 drubbing by New Zealand under Gambhir’s reign.
