During Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach, India achieved significant success by reaching the finals of world events in all three formats and winning the T20 title. Now, the focus is on building upon those accomplishments under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir, the new head coach, who acknowledges the challenge of filling Dravid’s “big shoes.”
In his first interaction with the media in Mumbai, Gambhir emphasized his approach to working with players, stressing the importance of trust and freedom. He expressed confidence in the team’s abilities, recognizing India as T20 champions and finalists in the World Test Championship and the 50-over World Cup.
Gambhir, known for his successful playing career and mentorship roles in the IPL, will commence his coaching journey with India’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka on July 27. He emphasized the importance of a winning mentality and creating a harmonious team environment to maximize player potential.
For the Sri Lanka tour, Gambhir will be supported by assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, along with bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule. T Dilip will continue to serve as the fielding coach, while additional support staff will be appointed following the tour.
Gambhir also discussed the importance of managing players’ workload, particularly for fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah. He advocated for batters to play consistently if fit, highlighting the availability of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for most games due to their limited T20 commitments.
In line with his philosophy of prioritizing team success, Gambhir emphasized the need to keep key players fresh for crucial encounters, focusing on workload management for fast bowlers like Bumrah.
Sudarshanan7 is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo.
