New Team India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir Clarifies His Stance On Player Selection
There has been speculation about the pool of players who could play under the newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir, following reports that he wants different players for different formats. However, the 42-year-old put all doubts to rest on Friday, saying that his approach to selecting players will not be based on specific formats. Instead, he believes that players who are “good enough” should play in all three formats.
“I firmly believe that if you’re good, you should be playing all three formats. I’ve never been a big believer in injury management; if you get injured, you recover. It’s as simple as that. When you’re playing international cricket and you’re good enough, you ask any top player if they want to play all three formats—they do. They don’t want to be labeled as just red-ball or white-ball bowlers. Injuries are part of a sportsman’s life,” Gambhir told Star Sports.
“If you’re playing all three formats, you get injured, you recover, but you should be playing all three formats. I don’t believe in designating players for specific formats or managing their workload to such an extent. Professional cricketers have a short span of playing for their country, and they should play as much as possible. When you’re in good form, go ahead and play all three formats,” he added.
Gambhir, known for his aggressive style of play during his playing days, has carried this aggression into his management roles. His aggressive approach was evident during his time as a mentor with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Discussing his approach to the game, Gambhir stressed the importance of playing with honesty.
“There’s only one message: play with honesty. Be as honest as you can with your profession, and the results will follow. When I picked up the bat, I never focused on the results or the number of runs I would score. I’ve always believed in being as honest as possible to my profession, living by certain principles and values, and doing the right thing for the team, even if the whole world is against you”, the head coach said.
“Whether I’ve been aggressive on the cricket field or had confrontations with people, it was always in the team’s best interest. Ultimately, it’s the team that matters, not the individual. In team sports, it’s the team that comes first, and you’re the last one in the entire line-up,” he added.
Gambhir played a starring role in India’s title triumphs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2011. He also captained Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL trophies in 2012 and 2014 and later mentored the team to another title win in 2024.
His first assignment as the head coach of the Indian team will begin with the ‘Men in Blue’s upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, which kicks off on July 26.
