After guiding India to victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, head coach Gautam Gambhir has already set his sights on the next major goal — leading the team to the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–2027. Gambhir described Test cricket as a format that is “extremely close to his heart”.
India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs on Sunday to successfully defend their T20 World Cup title. The victory was historic, as it made India the first team to win the T20 World Cup on home soil, the first to secure back-to-back titles following their 2024 triumph, and the first side to lift the trophy three times (2007, 2024 and 2026).
Over the past two years, India have captured three ICC white-ball titles — the 2024 T20 World Cup, 2025 Champions Trophy, and the 2026 T20 World Cup. However, the team is still chasing its maiden title in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).
India previously lost to New Zealand in the inaugural WTC final, reached the summit clash in the 2021–2023 cycle but were defeated by Australia, and failed to qualify for the final in the 2023–2025 edition.
Looking ahead, Gambhir, said that guiding India to the WTC final is now his primary objective. He acknowledged that red-ball cricket presents unique challenges, particularly during a transitional phase, but stressed that the team will continue to support young players as they aim to qualify for the final.
“Test cricket is very close to my heart. That one format is extremely, extremely close. And I hope that first we can qualify for the World Test Championship final. That’s my next target. And we still have, what, nine Test matches to go? The focus will remain there because I feel that we’ve gone through a transition in red-ball cricket, and it is always more difficult compared to white-ball cricket,” Gambhir told ANI.
“And there are these young boys who we will keep backing in red-ball cricket because Test cricket is never easy. So the next target is that hopefully we can qualify for the World Test Championship,” he added.
When asked whether he leans more towards the traditional format, Gambhir admitted that he deeply values Test cricket. He noted that many players in the Indian dressing room share the same passion, as the longest format is where legacies are built and where players have the opportunity to make truly significant contributions.
Gambhir also highlighted that the satisfaction of winning a Test match — after five days of sustained effort — remains unmatched compared with limited-overs formats.
How have India performed in Tests under Gambhir’s tenure?
“Yeah, 100 per cent. And I think most of the boys in that dressing room are. They really want to do well in Test cricket because that is where legacies are made. That is where you feel content when you come back. It’s the only format which gives you the opportunity to score a hundred, a double hundred and even a triple hundred. No other format gives you that opportunity. And when you go through those five days of hard work and get the result, there is no greater satisfaction than securing a Test win, whether it is a T20 World Cup final or a 50-over game. Test cricket gives you ultimate happiness,” Gambhir said.
While Gambhir has enjoyed success in limited-overs cricket, guiding India to consecutive ICC titles with victories in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup, the team has struggled to replicate the same success in Test cricket.
Under his tenure, India failed to qualify for the final of the ICC World Test Championship in 2025 and also suffered two home Test series defeats within a year against New Zealand and South Africa. Hence, the head coach could find himself on a very tight rope if India fail to qualify for the WTC final for the second successive time.
India are currently placed sixth on the WTC points table with four wins from nine matches, having a points percentage of 48.15. They have three series remaining against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia which will decide their fate.
