Head coach Gautam Gambhir was ecstatic after India pulled off one of their most dramatic Test victories on English soil, defeating England by six runs at The Oval to level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2. The former India opener, now serving as the national team’s head coach, led the jubilant dressing room celebrations and was hoisted off the ground by bowling coach Morne Morkel after the tense Day 5 finish.
India’s six-run win in the fifth Test marked their narrowest-ever victory by runs. On the final day, England required only 35 runs with four wickets in hand. But a stunning spell from Mohammed Siraj, who claimed three of those wickets, secured a famous triumph for the visitors. Remarkably, this was India’s first Test win in the fifth match of an away series and also their first drawn Test series under Gambhir’s leadership.
Gambhir, unable to contain his emotions after Siraj dismissed Gus Atkinson to wrap up the match, was seen jumping in celebration, screaming with joy, and embracing everyone in sight. In a behind-the-scenes video shared by the BCCI, Morkel lifted an elated Gautam Gambhir into the air as the coach clung to the South African, grinning and shouting. Moments later, an emotional Gambhir was seen embracing captain Shubman Gill on the field.
Watch the video below:
𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳. 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗝𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!
Raw Emotions straight after #TeamIndia‘s special win at the Kennington Oval 🔝#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/vhrfv8ditL
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 4, 2025
Gautam Gambhir: The ideology of this Test team is going to be this
The victory came as a huge relief for Gautam Gambhir, who had been facing mounting pressure after a series of underwhelming red-ball results since taking over from Rahul Dravid in 2024. His record now stands at five wins and eight losses from 15 Tests, including notable series defeats to New Zealand at home and Australia away.
In a video shared by the BCCI, Gautam Gambhir emphasised his belief in a team-first ideology and applauded both the players and support staff for their contribution in levelling the series from a challenging position.
“The ideology of this Test team is going to be about the team—it won’t be individual-centric,” Gambhir said. “The way the boys fought. I’ve always believed that you should get what you deserve, not what you want. And I think the guys truly deserved this.”
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