Things have gone from bad to worse for the Indian national team in the Test format, as the Men in Blue faced recent defeats in the longest format - against England in the first and third Test of the ongoing series.
In the first Test, even after a strong finish in the first innings, India's sub-par bowling and fielding performances let England back into the game. They chased down a target of 371 in the second innings quite comfortably to take the lead in the five-match Test series.
India won the second and fifth Test, thanks to superb bowling efforts from Mohammad Siraj who took a five-wicket haul in both matches.
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India has shown glimpses of brilliance at times, but their inconsistency and frequent setbacks in the Test format have drawn massive criticism regarding whether the Indian head coach's vision aligns with the team's strengths.
In this article, The Sporting News takes a look at how team India has performed under Gautam Gambhir in Tests in recent times.
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How has Gautam Gambhir performed as India's head coach in Tests?
Test series vs Bangladesh (2-0 win)
The first Test series under Gautam Gambhir was a success, as India clean swept their subcontinent neighbors with many notable performances in the series.
Test series vs New Zealand (0-3 loss)
This was the first major test for Gambhir in the red-ball format, in which he faltered massively. India lost a Test series on home soil after 12 years, as they faced a 0-3 defeat against New Zealand.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy vs Australia (1-3 loss)
Gambhir and co. started well with a win at Perth but couldn't hold on to the momentum as India lost the all-important series to Australia, which ultimately saw them bow out of contention for the finals of the WTC in June this year.
Tendukar-Anderson Trophy vs England (Drawn 2-2)
India leveled the series 2-2 after a stunning victory by 6 runs in the nail-biter at the Oval. Siraj picked up a fifer in the fourth innings to seal the win for the visitors.
In the first Test, even after a bright start with the bat in the first innings, India lacked the composure required on the field as England took full advantage of the mistakes and registered a 5-wicket win to start the series on a strong note.
In the second Test, India bounced back after an excellent effort from the skipper Shubman Gill, scoring a hundred and a double hundred. Then in the third Test, England defeated India by a narrow 22 runs, thanks to their pace attack and the return of Jofra Archer.
India managed a draw in the fourth Test despite being set for defeat after losing two wickets for naught in their second innings. Gritty centuries from three Indian batters - Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja sealed a draw for the team.
India's match by match results in Tests under Gautam Gambhir
Here's the full list of matches played under Gautam Gambhir in Tests.
| Opposition | Venue | Result |
| Bangladesh | Chennai | India won by 280 runs |
| Bangladesh | Kanpur | India won by 7 wickets |
| New Zealand | Bengaluru | India lost by 8 wickets |
| New Zealand | Pune | India lost by 113 runs |
| New Zealand | Wankhede | India lost by 25 runs |
| Australia | Perth | India won by 295 runs |
| Australia | Adelaide | India lost by 10 wickets |
| Australia | Brisbane | Match drawn |
| Australia | Melbourne | India lost by 184 runs |
| Australia | Sydney | India lost by 6 wickets |
| England | Leeds | India lost by 5 wickets |
| England | Edgbaston | India won by 336 runs |
| England | Lord's | India lost by 22 runs |
| England | Old Trafford | Match drawn |
Out of the 14 matches played so far, India have won just four -- two against Bangladesh, one against Australia and one against England -- while two match have ended in a draw.
| Matches won | Matches lost | Win percentage |
| 4 | 8 | 28.57% |
The abysmal record in Tests under the new head coach has rung alarm bells across the country, raising questions about Gambhir's capability and his future with the national team setup, especially in the longest format. Gambhir and co. will look to turn their fortunes with an improved outing in the 4th Test vs. England at Manchester.