India, Feb. 12 -- When Gautam Gambhir came aboard the Indian team as its head coach, expectations were sky high. India had just won the 2024 T20 World Cup, and Kolkata Knight Riders clinched a third IPL title - first after 10 years - under Gambhir's mentorship. Clearly, the transition was expected to be smooth, with Rahul Dravid stepping down after 2.5 years in charge. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, Gambhir entered the Indian dressing room with rousing cheers, but even before you knew it, those got replaced with silence as India slumped from one low to another.

Immediately upon his arrival, India lost a bilateral ODI series in Sri Lanka, for the first time after 28 years. And from there began the spiral. India's hammering in Australia,...