Gautam Gambhir avoids eye contact with Arshdeep Singh during insense post-match handshakes after losing to South Africa
Gautam Gambhir, who was already seen losing his cool in the dugout during the chaotic Arshdeep Singh over, appeared still simmering as the match concluded.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s frustration was visibly apparent during the post-match handshakes after India slumped to a 51-run defeat against South Africa in the second T20I in New Chandigarh on Thursday. The former India opener, known for his stern on-field demeanour, appeared noticeably displeased as he greeted the players— pointedly avoiding eye contact with left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, whose disastrous over earlier in the evening had become one of the talking points of the match.
Arshdeep endured a night to forget, delivering a 13-ball over that included seven wides—a rare and unwanted record in international cricket. Bowling the 11th over of South Africa’s innings, the pacer completely lost his rhythm after being hit for a towering six by Quinton de Kock off the first ball. What followed was a string of misdirected deliveries that not only leaked runs but also sapped India’s momentum.
The over yielded 18 runs, with Arshdeep sending down six wides across four balls, visibly frustrating skipper Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Hardik Pandya. By the time Arshdeep completed the over on his second attempt at the sixth delivery, South Africa had crossed the 100-run mark and firmly taken control.
Gambhir, who was already seen losing his cool in the dugout during the chaotic over, appeared still simmering as the match concluded. In the customary post-match handshake line, cameras caught him offering a brisk handshake to Arshdeep without making eye contact, a gesture that quickly ignited discussion on social media. Fans dissected the moment, interpreting it as a sign of the coach’s disappointment at a performance that derailed India’s bowling plans.
Despite a fighting 34-ball 62 from Tilak Varma, India failed to recover from the early damage and were comprehensively outplayed in all departments. With the series slipping away and key players like Shubman Gill and Suryakumar also enduring off-days with the bat, the pressure is mounting on the team to regroup quickly.
As India prepare for the final match of the series, all eyes will be on how Gambhir and the coaching staff address the lapses—both tactical and mental—that proved costly in New Chandigarh.
