Whatever backlash is happening in India, we are ready to accept it” - When Gautam Gambhir took a bold front during BGT 2011-12

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir was never one to mince words even during his playing days. As India return home after a disappointing 1-3 Test series defeat in Australia, it is worth looking back at Gambhir's reaction to a similar result in the 2011-12 tour down under when he was part of the playing squad.

The southpaw addressed the press conference with India trailing 0-3 in the best-of-four series, heading into the series finale at Adelaide. Gambhir mentioned that the Indian team was willing to accept the criticism and backlash back home for their dismal showing.

India lost the opening Test by 122 runs before suffering back-to-back innings defeats in Sydney and Perth.

Gambhir said at the press conference about India's 0-3 series deficit [via ESPN Cricinfo]:

"Whatever backlash is happening in India, we are ready to accept it. We have given the opportunity to people back home to give whatever they are giving [us]. There is a lot of expectation from us, that we should have done well. And with the kind of batting line-up we have, we should have done well."

He added:

"I am not someone who will hesitate to take responsibility. I think we have not played well. I will be the first one to accept it. If we want to be the No. 1 Test-playing nation in the world, we have to do well overseas. That has been always my stand. You have to do well in England, South Africa and Australia."

Unfortunately for India, the Adelaide Test went no differently as they lost by 298 runs to suffer a 0-4 series whitewash.

Gambhir struggled with the bat, scoring only 181 runs at an average of 22.62 with a lone half-century in eight innings.

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"We had our moments in this series" - Gautam Gambhir

Coming back to the recently concluded 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy, Gautam Gambhir felt India were in great positions several times during the series but failed to capitalize.

India won the series opener in Perth by 295 runs to take a 1-0 lead. However, they lost three out of the next four outings, including the last two in Melbourne and Sydney to lose their second consecutive Test series,

In the press conference after the series defeat, Gambhir said:

"We had our moments in this series where we could have won…the way we started this series, the pink ball Test match, and then we drew one match (in Gabba). If you see that last session in Melbourne (Day 5), Australia would have been in much more pressure with the series locked at 1-1."

The series loss eliminated India from the 2025 World Test championship (WTC) final, with Australia and South Africa set to meet in the summit clash.