India's head coach Gautam Gambhir is optimistic about India making it to the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-2027 final. Team India currently finds itself in a challenging fifth position in WTC cycle, sitting lower down the standings with an even record of four wins and four losses. To keep their hopes alive for a spot in the WTC final, India faces a must-win scenario for their upcoming red-ball assignments, specifically needing victories in both the two-Test tour of New Zealand later this year and the planned two-Test series in Sri Lanka.
We know the kind of quality we have: Gambhir on India's WTC final chances
Amidst these high-stakes qualification scenarios, India is set to face Afghanistan in a one-off Test match at Mullanpur starting June 6. However, this particular fixture stands separate from their immediate qualification pressure, as it is not part of the official WTC cycle. Despite the strict path ahead to reach the final, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir struck an optimistic note when addressing the team's prospects. He expressed firm confidence in the squad's capabilities, sharing that the group fully believes they have what it takes to turn things around and win the World Test Championship.
“We are always optimistic. Till you have the opportunity to qualify for the World Test championship Final, you are always optimistic because we know the kind of quality we have and the kind of talent we have. I don’t think so there’s any reason not to believe that we cannot win the World Test Championship. And that is what not only me, but everyone in that dressing room will believe. Yes, we can have one or bad series here and there, but we know the kind of talent we have and how much hunger is there in the dressing room,” Gambhir said at the pre-match press conference.
Notably, India narrowly missed out on the WTC final in the previous edition, after finishing third with a record of nine wins, eight losses, and two draws. The ultimate title clash was instead contested between table-toppers South Africa and second-placed Australia.
The current WTC cycle has brought a mix of results for the Indian team under the new leadership of Shubman Gill. The side managed a commendable 2-2 draw in a grueling five-match Test series in England, which they followed up with a dominant 2-0 home victory against the West Indies last year. However, momentum halted in November when India suffered a disappointing 2-0 series defeat on home soil against South Africa. This slump contributed to a broader, worrying trend where the team dropped five out of seven home matches between June 2024 and November 2025.
I don’t look for excuses: Gautam Gambhir
This period of turbulence coincides with a major transition phase for Indian cricket, following the Test retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. With Gill taking over the captaincy reins during the England tour, the team has begun integrating fresh talent into the squad, such as batsman Sai Sudharsan.
When questioned about the recent home defeats and the challenges of this rebuilding phase, head coach Gautam Gambhir remained forward-looking. He explained that he views this transition not as a setback, but as a vital process to optimize the squad and give India the best possible chance to succeed in the WTC cycle.
“No, the phase is not at all long because the actual transition happened from England. It’s been only nine Test matches and we were brilliant in England. We won against the West Indies. So when people are talking about transition, the actual transition happened after England. So if after nine Test matches, you feel it’s a long rope, I don’t agree with it. We all know how well this young team played in England and then we won against the West Indies. Yes, loss in the two matches against South Africa, it hurts but then that’s what is going to happen with the transition. The consistency will be missed because these are young boys. The majority of these boys have played less than 30 Test matches, which is still not a lot of experience So for me, I don’t look for excuses. I don’t see that because we haven’t got a full strength team. I think we have got enough talent to turn it around and are very hopeful we will give us the best chance to win the World Test Championships,” Gambhir concluded.