Before Gautam Gambhir, Team India made great progress under Rahul Dravid. In his era, India reached the finals of a world tournament in each of the three forms and won the T20 title. The emphasis is now on building on those advances, and Gautam Gambhir, their new head coach, recognizes that he has “big shoes to fill”.
Gambhir spoke to reporters for the first time in his new post. He discussed how he plans to work with India’s players and what they can expect from him. “It is very simple,” he stated on Monday in Mumbai. “I believe that allowing players independence is more important than having a head coach-player relationship.
“The best relationships are based on trust. The most crucial aspect is that they will always have my support. I avoid making things too complicated. I am taking over a very successful squad – India is T20 world champion, World Test Championship runners-up, and 50-overs World Cup finalists.”
July Marks Gautam Gambhir’s Coaching Debut
Gautam Gambhir’s tenure will begin on July 27 with India‘s white-ball tour to Sri Lanka. This is his first time as a team’s head coach, without having previously worked as a coach. He mentored in the IPL with both the Lucknow Super Giants and the reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders. He was an excellent opening hitter during his 13-year international career, which included World Cup victories in 2007 and 2011. “My learning has been simple – it has been all about winning,” Gautam Gambhir said. “I do not deviate from anything. We are in a profession where there is only one winner.
“We try to play fairly, and hard, and come back to a winning and cheerful dressing room. A happy dressing room equals a victorious dressing room. Ultimately, it is the players’ team; the support staff is there to help them reach their full potential.” International cricket can be difficult at times, and it can also be insecure because only 15 players are selected. It is the responsibility of support workers to keep them satisfied.
Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate will serve as assistant coaches for Gambhir’s tour of Sri Lanka, while Sairaj Bahutule will coach the bowling squad. So far, T Dilip is the only one reprising his role from the previous government. He will serve as the fielding coach. Gautam Gambhir stated that the remaining support staff members will be decided after the Sri Lanka tour.
Gambhir Opposes Self-Selected Matches
Gautam Gambhir has previously been opposed to players selecting their matches. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have both been named for the One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka, with the former taking the lead. This is one of only two ODI series scheduled for India before the Champions Trophy early next year. Gambhir stated that workload management is critical for fast bowlers, but hitters should play all games if they are healthy and available. “Workload management for someone like Jasprit Bumrah is important,” Gambhir told reporters. “If batters can play consistently and are in good shape, they might as well play all the games.
With Rohit and Virat no longer playing T20 cricket. They will only be available for two forms. As a result, they will be of just a few selected matches. “For Bumrah, because he is a rare type of bowler that anyone would want [on their team], it is our responsibility to keep him fresh for the majority of the important games. So, workload management for both Bumrah and quick bowlers becomes critical,” Gautam Gambhir concluded.
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