Gautam Gambhir under scrutiny: BCCI reviewing team performance following England defeat

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will launch a comprehensive performance review of the men’s national cricket team following a decisive T20 International series defeat against England.

According to a BCCI source, the governing body intends to evaluate the recent output of both the playing squad and the coaching staff. The administrative scrutiny extends to head coach Gautam Gambhir; despite a contract securing his position through 2027, internal reassessments have been triggered by the team's downward trajectory.

The review follows a bruising nine-wicket capitulation in the fourth T20I at Bristol, which granted England a definitive 3-0 lead in the five-match series, following an initial washed-out fixture. Under the newly instated captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, the Indian lineup failed to defend its position, mirroring failures earlier in the tour. India previously dropped the second fixture by four wickets before suffering a massive 125-run defeat in the third match, where the batting order collapsed for a meagre 76 runs while pursuing a target of 202.

The outcome marks a historic low for the reigning T20 World Cup champions, securing their second consecutive bilateral series loss. Prior to arriving in England, India suffered an unprecedented 2-0 series defeat against Ireland—the first time the team has ever dropped a series to the Irish side.

Both consecutive defeats have come in the wake of a highly debated leadership transition. The BCCI recently elected to replace veteran batsman and 2026 T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, handing the captaincy to Iyer.

Conversely, the triumph in Bristol secures a historic milestone for English cricket. The victory marks England’s first-ever bilateral T20I series win against India in a multi-match format.

During the Bristol encounter, India posted a modest total of 158/7 after being put in to bat. Iyer anchored the innings with a resilient, unbeaten 80 runs off 49 deliveries, though he found virtually no offensive support from the rest of the order. English pacers Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue disrupted the visitors' momentum by claiming two wickets each.

England’s top order systematically dismantled the chase, comfortably reaching the 159-run target in a mere 13.5 overs. The rapid pursuit was fueled by aggressive half-centuries from captain Harry Brook, who struck 79 off 35 balls, and Phil Salt, who contributed 59 off 42 deliveries.

With the series decided, India faces a dead-rubber finale aiming to salvage competitive pride, while the host country looks to finalise a dominant sweep.

With inputs from ANI