Canberra, Oct 27 (NationPress) India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has shared insights on his leadership style and the developing rapport with captain Suryakumar Yadav. Gambhir emphasized that his main role is to provide fair advice to the right-handed batsman, informed by his understanding of the game.

Since stepping in after India triumphed in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, the partnership between Suryakumar and Gambhir has proven to be a powerful captain-coach duo. Under their guidance, India has elevated its batting pace, consistently winning series, including the recent Men’s T20 Asia Cup in the UAE. They will reunite for a five-match T20I series in Australia, commencing at the Manuka Oval on Wednesday.

“Surya is an incredible individual; good people make for great leaders. While he praises my contributions, my role is solely to provide him with fair advice based on my game insights. Ultimately, this is his team. His free-spirited nature aligns perfectly with the essence of T20 cricket, which is fundamentally about freedom and expression. Your off-field persona is mirrored on the field and in the dressing room, and Surya has skillfully upheld this environment over the past 1.5 years,” Gambhir shared on JioStar.

He further highlighted that India’s T20I tactics under Suryakumar embrace risk-taking, especially in tense matches. “From our initial discussion, we agreed: we shall not fear defeat. I don’t seek to be the most successful coach; rather, I aspire for us to be the most fearless team. In critical matches like the Asia Cup final, I informed the players that it’s acceptable to drop a catch, make an erroneous shot, or deliver a poor bowl.”

“Humans are prone to mistakes. Only the perspectives of those within the dressing room hold significance. Surya and I consistently concur: we will never fear errors. The larger the match, the more fearless and aggressive we need to be. A cautious approach merely benefits the opposition. Given the talent we possess, if we play without fear, we will thrive,” he added.

Despite Suryakumar's lackluster tournament performance, aside from an unbeaten 47 against Pakistan during the Asia Cup league match, Gambhir expressed minimal concern over Suryakumar’s recent batting struggles.

“Honestly, I’m not worried about Surya’s batting form because we have committed to an ultra-aggressive mindset within our dressing room. Embracing this philosophy means that failures are a part of the journey. It would be simple for Surya to score 40 runs off 30 balls and evade scrutiny, but we collectively agreed that it’s okay to fail while pursuing this methodology. Currently, Abhishek Sharma is in excellent form and has consistently performed well throughout the Asia Cup. When Surya regains his rhythm, he will take on the responsibility accordingly.”

“In T20 cricket, our emphasis is not on individual scores but on the style of cricket we aim to play. With our aggressive approach, batters may experience failures more frequently, but ultimately, the impact is more significant than mere runs,” he concluded.

–IANS

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