Gautam Gambhir on Split Captaincy has reignited discussions around India’s cricket leadership strategy. In a recent interview with CNN News18, Gautam Gambhir emphasized the need for a practical and flexible leadership model in today’s high-pressure cricketing environment.
“Ideally, as a coach, it’s much easier to work with one guy—if you have one captain for all three formats. But it never happens because you have to realize in today’s day and age, you can’t have a captain captaining for 12 months in a year,”
He stressed that overburdening young players with year-round captaincy responsibilities could affect both their mental stability and performance. This reflects a modern approach where split captaincy is not just a necessity but a strategy for sustainability.
“Putting a young guy captaining the side for 12 months in a year is putting a lot of toll on his mental being or on his game as well. So, ideally it’s one, but in today’s day and age, it is always better to have two because obviously that pressure can actually be distributed among two people, and it gets much easier for a player to try and be free when he’s not captaining the side,” also he added.
Navigating India’s Leadership Landscape with Gautam Gambhir on Split Captaincy
Following Rohit Sharma’s exit from Test cricket, the Indian team is set to enter a new leadership phase. With Suryakumar Yadav currently leading in T20Is and Sharma still holding the ODI reins, a split leadership model seems likely.
Youngster Shubman Gill has been named as the Test skipper by BCCI. However, seasoned cricketers like Ravichandran Ashwin advocated for experienced players like Jasprit Bumrah or Ravindra Jadeja to take the helm during this transitional phase.
This evolving leadership scenario mirrors Gautam Gambhir’s vision—empowering different leaders for different formats to manage workload and enhance performance. Suryakumar Yadav has the reins in T20Is and Rohit Sharma in ODI an Shubman Gill in Tests, 3 different skippers, that’s very rare to see in Indian cricket.
Why Gautam Gambhir on Split Captaincy Could Reshape Team India
Gautam Gambhir’s backing of a split captaincy model is rooted in long-term strategic thinking. By assigning separate captains for different formats, Team India can maintain optimal physical and mental fitness among its leaders while fostering specialized strategies tailored to each format.
As the Indian cricket team prepares for major tournaments and another World Test Championship cycle, Gambhir’s approach could provide the stability and adaptability needed to remain competitive on the world stage. The upcoming England Tests can prove to be an uphill task for India with new leader in form of Shubman Gill and most importantly Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma won’t be there.