India's skipper Shubman Gill, who missed the second Test with a neck injury, struck a note of unity and resolve after the team's bruising 0-2 series loss to South Africa, insisting the side would “rise stronger” despite the backlash.
The defeat marked a historic setback: South Africa completed a clean sweep with a 408-run win in Guwahati, their first series victory on Indian soil in 25 years, after edging out India by 30 runs in the opening Test in Kolkata.
The result sparked widespread criticism of the team's performance and leadership, with even coach Gautam Gambhir facing boos from fans.
Addressing the mood, Gill took to X on Wednesday: “Calm seas don't teach you how to steer, it's the storm that forges steady hands. We'll continue to believe in each other, fight for each other, and move forward — rising stronger.”
Calm seas don't teach you how to steer, it's the storm that forges steady hands. We'll continue to believe in each other, fight for each other, and move forward - rising stronger. 🇮🇳
November 26, 2025Gill, who had retired hurt on four due to a neck spasm in India's first innings of the Eden Test, was hospitalised and ruled out of the match. Though he travelled to Guwahati, he was released on the eve of the second Test.
Meanwhile, Gambhir didn't single out any player for the crushing defeat but dropped strong hints that he was furious with stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant for “playing to the gallery.” His typically fiery post-match press conference was marked by flashes of contradiction, even as he tried to maintain a no-nonsense tone.
India had been well placed at 95 for one, but a dramatic collapse to 122 for seven followed, with Marco Jansen running through the line-up. Pant's decision to charge down at Jansen, at a moment that called for restraint, was arguably the poorest shot of the innings.
Asked if he expected better from Pant, now just one Test short of 50 appearances, Gambhir replied firmly: “You don't blame one individual shot. You don't blame one individual playing in a certain way. You blame everyone… I've never done that, and I am not going to do it.” At the same time, he made it clear he wasn't willing to “brush things under the carpet.”
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