Gautam Gambhir vs Rahul Dravid: Who Handled Test Team Better in First 11 Matches?

The Indian Test team has entered a new phase under head coach Gautam Gambhir. But questions have already begun to arise after back-to-back defeats, especially after a humiliating loss to England in Leeds. In contrast, fans remember how smoothly the team performed in the early days of Rahul Dravid’s coaching journey. Now, as both coaches have completed 11 Test matches at the helm, a statistical and performance-based comparison becomes even more relevant.

Let’s understand where both Indian legends — Rahul “The Wall” Dravid and Gautam “Gauti” Gambhir — stand after their first 11 Tests as head coaches.

Rahul Dravid’s Bright Start: 7 Wins, 3 Losses, 1 Draw

Rahul Dravid took over the coaching role at the end of 2021. In his first 11 Tests (Nov 2021 – Feb 2023), Team India looked disciplined and consistent. Dravid focused on maintaining a solid home record while attempting to challenge strong teams overseas.

Breakdown of First 11 Tests Under Dravid:

• Wins: 7
• Losses: 3
• Draw: 1

Series Highlights:

• A drawn home Test vs New Zealand in Kanpur was followed by a strong win in Wankhede.
• India started the South Africa tour with a win in Centurion but lost the series after defeats in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
• India bounced back by whitewashing Sri Lanka at home.
• A defeat to England in a rescheduled Birmingham Test highlighted the team’s struggle in foreign conditions.
• A clean 2-0 win over Bangladesh showed India’s dominance in Asia.
• The team crushed Australia in Nagpur in early 2023, proving the strength of the Indian side under Dravid’s watch at home.

While the overseas performance had mixed results, the overall winning percentage and team structure under Dravid showed balance and promise. He backed the players, rotated wisely, and managed seniors and young players efficiently.

Gautam Gambhir’s Challenging Start: 3 Wins, 7 Losses, 1 Draw

Gambhir stepped into the head coach role in July 2024 with high expectations. However, his start in red-ball cricket has been rocky. From a strong opening against Bangladesh, things quickly turned challenging with multiple series defeats, both at home and abroad.

Breakdown of First 11 Tests Under Gambhir:

• Wins: 3
• Losses: 7
• Draw: 1

Series Highlights:

• Gambhir started positively by defeating Bangladesh in Chennai and Kanpur.
• But India suffered a 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand — a rare and shocking result, especially at Bengaluru, Pune and Wankhede.
• On the Australia tour, India snatched one win in Perth but lost three Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Only Brisbane ended in a draw.
• The latest Test against England in Leeds resulted in a 5-wicket defeat, again raising doubts about India’s performance in overseas conditions.

Comparing Home and Away Records:

Dravid clearly holds the edge, especially in terms of home consistency. His side dominated visiting teams like Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Gambhir, on the other hand, saw his team collapse even on home turf — something that rarely happens to Indian sides.

Player Development and Stability

Under Dravid, India maintained a stable squad, rotated bowlers efficiently, and gave opportunities to players like Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, and Shubman Gill to prove themselves. Gambhir has been under pressure to rebuild after a transition period, but injuries and inconsistent form among key players have made things harder.

Fan Reactions and Pressure

Gambhir’s aggressive personality and straightforward approach have drawn both praise and criticism. With a 3-7 record, his strategy is under scrutiny. Many experts say it’s still early to judge him harshly, but comparisons with Dravid have begun.

What Lies Ahead?

Team India’s future Test schedule under Gambhir will decide how long he continues in the red-ball role. While his white-ball approach has earned praise, the Test format demands patience and depth — something that Dravid delivered better in his early tenure.