Gautam Gambhir vs Duncan Fletcher - comparing the stats of the two after 19 matches as India coach

The role of India’s head coach is always under intense scrutiny, with every decision and performance closely analyzed. Coaches often receive immense praise, but they also face significant criticism at times.

Two notable figures in this regard are Gautam Gambhir, who currently holds the position, and Duncan Fletcher, who was the coach from 2011 to 2015. Gambhir took over after Rahul Dravid’s tenure ended following the Men in Blue’s victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Similarly, Fletcher became the head coach of the Indian team in 2011, succeeding South Africa’s Gary Kirsten, who had led India to the 2011 World Cup title.

Stepping into the role of Indian head coach is always challenging, and replacing a figure who has guided the team to an ICC trophy is never easy. On that note, in this article, we will compare the records of Gautam Gambhir and Duncan Fletcher after their first 19 matches as India’s head coach.

---

Gautam Gambhir’s record as head coach after 19 games

Gautam Gambhir took over as the head coach of the Indian team with big shoes to fill, following the successful tenure of Rahul Dravid. Under Dravid, India reached the finals of both the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) and the ODI World Cup, though they were defeated by Australia on both occasions. In his final assignment, Dravid led India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Gambhir's first assignment as head coach was a white-ball tour to Sri Lanka. The tour started brilliantly, with the Men in Blue sweeping the hosts 3-0 in the T20I series. However, the ODI series took a disappointing turn, with India losing 2-0, and one match ending in a tie. This marked the first time in 27 years that India lost a bilateral ODI series against Sri Lanka, drawing significant criticism for Gambhir.

Things quickly improved as India first swept Bangladesh 3-0 in a T20I series at home, followed by a 2-0 victory in the Test series. Next, they were set to face New Zealand in a three-match Test series, with fans expecting another clean-sweep victory for India.

However, to the disappointment of fans and players, the Black Caps stunned India by winning 3-0, marking the first time in 12 years that India lost a Test series on home soil. Struggling with confidence, India then traveled to Australia for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where they started strongly with a convincing 295-run win in Perth.

Unfortunately, things took a downward turn after that, as India lost the series 3-1, failing to qualify for the WTC final for the first time in history. Meanwhile, reports of internal rifts in the dressing room only added to the pressure, making it a tough start for Gambhir in his role as head coach, particularly in Test cricket.

Gautam Gambhir’s record after 19 games:

• T20Is: Six wins out of six matches
• ODIs: Two losses and one match ended in a tie (three matches played)
• Tests: Three wins, one draw, and six losses (ten matches played)

---

Duncan Fletcher's record as head coach after 19 games

After Gary Kirsten’s successful tenure, which included leading India to victory in the 2011 ODI World Cup, Duncan Fletcher took over as head coach. Stepping into Kirsten’s shoes was always going to be a difficult task, and Fletcher's first series in charge was an away tour to the West Indies.

India won the one-off T20I and the first three ODIs but lost the final two, ultimately securing a 3-2 series win. In the Test series, India won 1-0, with two matches ending in a draw. Despite the series victory, there was criticism regarding India’s performance against a struggling West Indies team.

The team then traveled to England for a four-match Test series, five ODIs, and a one-off T20I. India’s tour started poorly, as they were whitewashed 4-0 in the Test series, with two losses by an innings.

The visitors also lost the one-off T20I. Things didn’t improve in the ODI series either, as England won 3-0, with one game ending in a tie and another with no result, marking a challenging and disappointing start to Duncan Fletcher’s tenure as India’s head coach.

Duncan Fletcher's record after 19 games:

• T20Is: One win and one loss (two matches played)
• ODIs: Three wins, five losses, one tie, and one no result (ten matches played)
• Tests: One win, four losses, and two draws (seven matches played)

---

Conclusion

While Gautam Gambhir has faced a disappointing start to his Test coaching career, a similar situation occurred with Duncan Fletcher. Under Fletcher’s leadership, India struggled in Test cricket throughout his tenure until 2015, but he found success in white-ball cricket.

Fletcher guided India to victory in the 2013 Champions Trophy, and the team reached the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup and the semifinals of the 2015 ODI World Cup. Now, it will be intriguing to see how Gambhir's tenure progresses as the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy approaches.