Former India opener Aakash Chopra has lauded Gautam Gambhir for his outstanding tenure thus far as the Men in Blue’s white-ball head coach going into the Asia Cup 2025. Aakash Chopra pointed out that India won the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, the only ICC event they have played since Gambhir took over as the head coach despite Jasprit Bumrah’s unavailability due to injury.
Just for the record, India won the Champions Trophy earlier this year with an all-win record. With Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the tournament due to the back injury he sustained in the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Rohit Sharma and Gambhir opted to go with a spin-heavy attack.
Aakash Chopra Credits Gautam Gambhir for Champions Trophy win.
Speaking on his own You Tube channel, the former India opener Aakash Chopra credited Gambhir for the Champions Trophy win and highlighted the move to play four spinners in the playing XI yielded great dividends. He said: “Not many ODIs have happened. Only 11 matches have been played, but it includes the Champions Trophy win. Once you have won the Champions Trophy, I think this is the pinnacle. Only one ICC event has happened in his tenure, and you have lifted the trophy there.”
Chopra added: “The team selection was slightly against the grain. There were four spinners, and you played all four. That was phenomenal. Varun Chakaravarthy played and he became your trump card. There you have to give him the credit. There was criticism, but he stuck to his guns. You lifted the trophy without Jasprit Bumrah. Thumbs up to you with both hands there.”
India included Varun Chakaravarthy as a fourth spinner in the playing XI in their last three matches of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The mystery spinner played a considerable role in the Men in Blue’s triumph as he picked up 9 wickets at an average of 15.11 and an economy rate of 4.53.
Aakash Chopra Credits Gautam Gambhir for creating a new template in T20Is.
Speaking in the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India have been on a winning spree under Gautam Gambhir in T20Is and he has formulated a new approach that’s helping India. He said: “He has an impeccable record in T20Is. In T20 cricket, he has created a new template. It will be interesting to see how Shubman Gill fits into this template as an opener. Considering the number of chances and confidence Sanju Samson was given, it seems like you invest in people and back them to the hilt.”
While, he observed that Gautam Gambhir backed players like Sanju Samson, the cricketer turned commentator felt that Gambhir had no role in Shubman Gill’s appointment as vice-captain and potential return as an opener. Chopra observed: “You might say that he is not doing it now. Selection is the selector’s job. The coach’s job is to play players from the team provided. I don’t think you should be looking at Gautam Gambhir at all for Shubman Gill opening or becoming the vice-captain.”
Aakash Chopra also felt that Gautam Gambhir should be credited for Varun Chakaravarthy’s rise in white-ball cricket, highlighting that he brought the spinner into the Indian team from the Kolkata Knight Riders. Chopra also noted that Gautam Gambhir has a little more preference for Harshit Rana as he has seen the seamer closely, but the KKR pacer might compete with Prasidh Krisgna and Mohammed Siraj for a place in the side moving forward.
It remains to be seen how things pan out at the Asia Cup 2025. India has got the team on paper to win this whole tournament. Anything less than a win will be considered a failure from the team management that also includes Gautam Gambhir. Let’s see how things unfold as the Asia Cup is around the corner in the coming days where India will be challenged by other sides.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Manoj Tiwary Launches Scathing Attack On Jasprit Bumrah