Gambhir under fierce pressure as India suffer biggest Test defeat

Underfire Gautam Gambhir said it was up to the Indian cricket board to decide his fate as coach after overseeing a 2-0 Test series defeat to South Africa on Wednesday.

India went down to South Africa by 408 runs in the second Test to suffer their biggest defeat by runs and a fifth loss in seven home matches.

The hosts were whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand a year ago and the heavy defeat in Guwahati has once again raised doubts over Gambhir's tactics.

"It is up to BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to decide," Gambhir said, asked in the post-match press conference whether he was the right man for the job.

"I've said it during my first press conference when I took over as the head coach -- Indian cricket is important, I'm not important. And I sit here saying exactly the same thing."

Former batsman Gambhir, 44, replaced Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup triumph last year and has lost 10 out of 19 Tests since being appointed coach.

His contract runs until the 2027 ODI World Cup.

"People can keep forgetting I'm the same guy who got results in England as well, with a young team," he said of the drawn away Test series this year.

"And I'm sure you guys will forget very soon because a lot of people keep talking about New Zealand."

"And I'm the same guy under who we won the Champions Trophy and Asian Cup as well," he added.

Stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma quit T20 cricket after the World Cup win in Barbados and earlier this year called time on their Test careers.

Shubman Gill was appointed Test captain ahead of the 2-2 draw in England.

He then led India to a 2-0 sweep of the West Indies at home.

Gill was injured in the opening match of the South Africa series and missed the second Test.

Rishabh Pant stood in as skipper of a team in transition.

India crashed to 140 all out in a mammoth chase of 549 with their batting faltering consistently in the two-match series.

Their highest total was 201 in the first innings in Guwahati.

"I don't give excuses and I have never done that in the past," said Gambhir.

"But if you see four or five batters in this top eight have literally played less than 15 Tests. And they will grow. They are learning on the job."

The Indian spinners were also outdone on favourable home pitches with South Africa's Simon Harmer returning 17 wickets with his off-spin.

"I do not think so ever in a Test cricket something like this has happened where the transition is happening in the spin-bowling department and in a batting department as well," said Gambhir.

"All of us need to give them time and I am sure they have got the skill, they have got the talent, they have got the ability."

Bavuma over the moon

Skipper Temba Bavuma said his South Africa team had written their names in history after romping to a 2-0 Test whitewash in India on Wednesday.

The world champions thrashed the hosts by 408 runs in the second match in Guwahati for their first series win on Indian soil since 2000 and only second ever.

Asked to compare the latest triumph to the World Test Championship final victory over Australia, Bavuma said: "It's definitely up there."

"Coming to India is always a tough prospect," Bavuma told reporters.

"I think what makes it sweeter is the fact that we're on the other side of the result. We know how dark it can be (touring India)."

He said: "Coming here, I would have never thought 2-0 would be the result at the end of the series.

"But I think it's an incredible achievement for the group of players. Again, we've gone on to etch ourselves in history and we are creating some memorable moments."

Bavuma has an unbeaten record as Test captain in 12 matches, winning 11 and drawing one.

He missed the recent 1-1 draw in Pakistan, where Aiden Markram stood in as captain.

"I mean, for me it's really a process of discovery," said Bavuma. "I think now probably a lot more assured of myself as a person, as a captain and what I'm trying to do out there."

Off-spinner Simon Harmer excelled for South Africa with 17 wickets in the series and his 6-37 helped bundle out India for 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on the fifth day.

Harmer outdid the Indian spinners in their own den with his guile and turn.

"I think Simon, obviously, he's come in and heavily boosted our resources from a spin point of view," said Bavuma.

"As a team over the years we've highly relied on Keshav Maharaj. Probably wasn't at his best in the series at his own admission. But I think the way Simon came in and he did what he had to do."

South Africa were missing pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada after he injured a rib in training ahead of the series.

"Again, the way the guys have stepped up, even though we didn't have our main bowler being Kagiso, you know, it was incredible," said Bavuma.