Gautam Gambhir’s frosty handshake with his players after India’s 51‑run defeat to South Africa in the second T20I at Mullanpur has sparked intense debate about accountability and standards in the new-look Indian set-up. The head coach’s visibly stern body language, captured as he greeted a dejected dressing room, underlined his displeasure with both the tactical execution and individual mistakes that derailed India’s chase of 214.
Gautam Gambhir’s intense handshakes with Indian players in 2nd T20I
Television cameras showed Gambhir offering firm, unsmiling handshakes to several Indian players as they walked off after being bowled out for 162, with the clip quickly circulating across social media platforms. The intensity in his expression, coupled with minimal conversation, was interpreted by many fans as a silent but sharp message that such an error‑ridden performance would not be brushed aside as just another bad day.
The incident came on the back of a chaotic 11th over from Arshdeep Singh, who sent down a record seven wides and needed 13 balls to complete the over, gifting South Africa crucial momentum in the middle phase. Gambhir’s animated reaction in the dugout during that spell – shaking his head in frustration as the over unravelled – had already gone viral, and the post‑match handshake only reinforced speculation about a tough appraisal behind closed doors.
Here’s the video:
After today’s loss, Gautam Gambhir was looking angry during the handshake with Indian players like Jitesh Sharma and Arshdeep Singh.
Look at the attitude of this man; rather than boosting the confidence of players, he was looking at them angrily 💔 pic.twitter.com/0nJTTZ8qfQ
— Tejash (@Tejashyyyyy) December 11, 2025
Batting collapse exposes India’s over-reliance and loose plans
The defeat was rooted in a disjointed display with both ball and bat as South Africa piled up 213, powered by a blistering 90 from Quinton de Kock and supported by disciplined finishing against an erratic Indian attack. India’s response never really recovered from a horror start, with Shubman Gill falling for a first‑ball duck and captain Suryakumar Yadav dismissed cheaply, leaving the hosts reeling at 32 for 3 inside four overs.
Tilak Varma’s sparkling 62 off 34 balls offered brief resistance but lacked sustained support, while Axar Patel’s promotion in the order did not translate into the kind of anchor role India had hoped for. After the match, Suryakumar admitted that the side had leaned too heavily on Abhishek Sharma’s explosive form at the top and stressed that senior batters, including himself and Gill, needed to shoulder more responsibility and take the chase deeper.
The skipper also conceded that India failed to quickly implement a “second plan” once the initial approach under lights and slight dew failed to dent South Africa’s scoring, hinting at strategic as well as execution lapses. With the series now level at 1-1 and Gambhir’s uncompromising reactions under the spotlight, the focus will be firmly on how India recalibrate their bowling discipline and top‑order temperament heading into the next T20I.
Also WATCH: Gautam Gambhir gets furious as Arshdeep Singh bowls 7 wides in one over during IND vs SA 2nd T20
