India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has already set his sights on the 2017 T20 World Cup, demonstrating a determined mindset and a clear strategy as India prepares for the global challenge. After a successful five-match T20I series against Australia, Team India will now transfer their emphasis to red-ball cricket.
With the first Test against South Africa planned for November 14, Shubman Gill and his team are preparing for a new set of obstacles. Gambhir’s tenure as head coach has not been without challenges, as he has received harsh criticism for his team selection and strategies. However, the former cricketer has chosen not to focus on outside viewpoints.
The scrutiny increased with India’s ODI series loss to Australia, but Gambhir stood firm in his opinions.
India won the recently finished five-match T20I series against Australia 2-1, indicating a positive phase under Gambhir’s leadership. His presence has made a visible difference in the dressing room climate, instilling a sense of urgency and purpose among the players. Gambhir focused on the team’s changing culture and his future ambitions.
“It has been a very transparent dressing room, it has been a very honest dressing room, and that is how we want this dressing room to be,” said Gambhir in the BCCI video.
“I’ve always been a believer that it’s not about the individual performances. I can be very happy with the individual performances, and I will always remain happy with individual performances. But ultimately it’s the loss of one-day series, that’s the bottom line and I can never celebrate a series loss as a coach,” he said.
“As a player I can appreciate individuals, but as a coach I think it is my moral responsibility that we as a nation and we as individuals should never, never celebrate a series loss. Ultimately we are representing the country, yes T20 series was different, we won the series, a lot of positives, but a lot of learning as well,” Gambhir added.
The New Delhi-born admitted that the Indian team still needs polishing and refinement in several areas. He emphasized that the road to a perfect T20 World Cup campaign is a long one, demanding consistent effort, hard work, and focus from every player. With three months remaining before the tournament, Gambhir’s goal is to ensure that the squad continues to develop the right balance.
“I think we still aren’t where we want to be in the T20 World Cup. Hopefully, guys know the importance of being fit. We still have three months to be where we want to be,” Gambhir said.
For now, India is set to shift gears to red-ball cricket as they prepare to face South Africa in a Test series starting November 14. After a successful home series win against the West Indies, Team India will look to carry forward their momentum and extend their dominance in Test cricket.
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