One of the biggest setbacks India witnessed in Test format was losing home series against New Zealand last year. For Gautam Gambhir, that is a sour memory but the one he has consciously brought back into focus. Instead of keeping the past buried, Gambhir is letting it fuel him, reminding his players will never let happen again. In a recent interview, he made his point to the team unmistakably clear: the 0-3 home Test series loss to New Zealand in 2024 has to remain alive in their minds as a turning point.
“If I am being honest, and speak from the heart, I don’t think that in my coaching tenure, I can ever forget that, and I should never forget that.” Gautam Gambhir said on JioHotstar
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“I have told this to the boys as well, it is important to look forward, but sometimes it is also important to remember the past as well. Everyone thought we would roll over New Zealand. In that dressing room, we need to keep reminding that New Zealand happened,” Gambhir added.
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That whitewash in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai was more than a series loss. It broke a 12-year home unbeaten streak and India’s first home series without a win since 2000. The consequences were more than pride; it disrupted India’s World Test Championship run. Their chance for a final place was destroyed, and a 3-1 loss in Australia sealed that destiny.
For Gambhir, who arrived with high hopes weighing on him, the New Zealand series was the bitter memory of his so far tenure.
