After India suffered an ODI series defeat (2-1) to New Zealand in January 2026, particularly after the third ODI at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, sections of the crowd reportedly chanted 'Gautam Gambhir Haaye Haaye' (meaning 'down with Gautam Gambhir'). These chants were allegedly directed at India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, reflecting fan frustration with the team's recent performance and series loss. Multiple reports and viral videos captured the moment, showing Indian players, including star batsman Virat Kohli, visibly surprised, shocked, or animated by the unexpected outburst from the stands. Other players like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer were also noted to be taken aback. While the occurrence of the chants and the players' reactions is widely reported, one source suggests that the viral video claiming to capture these chants during the post-match ceremony might feature edited audio from an older, unrelated incident, leading to potential misinterpretation of Kohli's reaction. However, the sentiment of public displeasure against Gambhir as coach, following a disappointing series, is corroborated across various news outlets. This incident follows previous instances where Gambhir, during IPL 2023 and Asia Cup 2023, was met with 'Kohli, Kohli' chants by crowds, to which he reacted with strong gestures or stern looks. The latest 'Haaye Haaye' chants specifically target Gambhir as the head coach amidst team performance scrutiny, marking a new dimension to the fan-player dynamics.