Gambhir Vows to Never Forget India's Humiliating 0-3 Loss to New Zealand

In October 2025, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir revealed that he has made it a mandate for the team to never forget their 0-3 home defeat to New Zealand in 2024. This loss marked India's first home Test series defeat in 12 years and their first winless home series since 2000.

Gambhir acknowledged that the New Zealand series was the most painful chapter of his coaching tenure so far. He has emphasized to the players that they must remember this low point, as it fundamentally rewired India's World Test Championship trajectory. The whitewash severely damaged their chances of reaching the final, which was later confirmed by a 3-1 loss in Australia.

By refusing to let this scar fade, Gambhir is betting that institutional memory, however uncomfortable, is the most effective way to prevent such failures from repeating. Within the context of this defeat, the Mumbai Test also turned out to be the last home appearance for veteran players like Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, who all retired from the format soon after.

Gambhir's decision to keep the 2024 New Zealand series at the forefront of team conversations is an indication of a culture built on accountability rather than selective amnesia. He believes that learning from past mistakes is crucial for the team's future success.