India’s crushing 408-run defeat to South Africa in the second Test at Guwahati sparked unrest in the stands, with frustrated spectators directing chants against head coach Gautam Gambhir. Moments after the match ended at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, a group of fans began shouting phrases such as “Gambhir haye haye” and “Gambhir go back,” expressing anger over India’s back-to-back losses and a rare home whitewash.
The hostile chants drew the attention of the Indian team during the presentation ceremony. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was the first to step in, signaling to the crowd to calm down and urging supporters to respect the team despite the disappointing performance. When the shouting continued, Siraj moved toward the boundary line alongside assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak, who openly confronted the group. Kotak questioned the behavior of the hecklers, reminding them that Gambhir had consistently worked for the betterment of Indian cricket.
As the situation grew tense, the BCCI team management lodged a formal complaint about the crowd behavior. Police personnel present at the venue quickly acted, identifying and detaining one of the individuals involved in leading the chants. Security tightened around the stands to prevent further escalation.
The incident reflected the rising frustration among fans after India suffered their heaviest home Test defeat by runs and endured a clean sweep against South Africa. It also intensified public scrutiny on Gambhir, who is still early into his tenure as head coach. India has now lost five of their last seven home Tests—a rare sequence not seen in over six decades—and this marks the second consecutive year in which they have lost a Test series at home, following the 2024 whitewash by New Zealand.
