After winning the T20I series 2-1 in Australia, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir reckons that the team wasn’t quite ready for next year’s T20 World Cup just yet. India have about 10 T20Is to go before the World Cup in February-March 2026 with five matches each against South Africa and New Zealand respectively.
Gautam Gambhir stressed on the importance of fitness and outlined his expectations from the team. He feels that India have a long way to go if they want to lift the crown and have multiple areas to work on to become a complete team in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Gautam Gambhir’s thoughts on where India is at and the improvement in fitness required.
Speaking to BCCI.TV, Gautam Gambhir said: “We’re still not where we want to be in three months down the line. Because the bigger picture is not the series, but the World Cup as well. So hopefully, by the time the World Cup comes, I think we are in that space where we want to be before the World Cup.”
Speaking on the fielding and expectations from the team, Gambhir said: “From the fitness point of view, I think we still aren’t where we want to be come the T20 World Cup and that is exactly the conversation that we’ve had with the boys as well. We want to be absolutely sharp.”
He further added: “We want to be fit. We want to move quicker. We want to… the fitter we are, the more mentally strong we are because come the pressure games, come, the pressure situation, the more physically strong we are. So, hopefully guys know the importance of being fit. So we still have three months to be where we want to be.”
Gautam Gambhir’s thoughts on the flexible or not so fixed batting order.
In the series against Australia, we saw India continue to favour fluidity and flexibility over stability and fixed batting order. Speaking on that matter, Gautam Gambhir said: “Look that has been the ideology from day one. Obviously. two openers are permanent. Rest, I think everything shuffles because it’s not the amount of runs that matter in T20 cricket. It’s the impact that matters. And people sometimes miscalculate or do not differentiate between the batting order, the runs and the impact. See, runs are different and impact is different. In T20 cricket, it’s all about the impact. It’s 120 balls. Every ball needs to have the maximum impact that we can have.”
Gambhir further added: “And that’s the reason from day one, I think it has been a very fluid batting order. And that is how we want to play this game. We don’t want to play a game thinking about averages, strike rates and all that stuff.”
Gautam Gambhir’s justification of Jasprit Bumrah bowling 3 off his 4 overs inside the powerplay.
Gautam Gambhir also explained the vision behind Jasprit Bumrah bowling three overs in the powerplay and how it helps give his team an aggressive edge. Gautam Gambhir said: “I think a lot of people relate to this T20 side as a very aggressive batting line-up. For me, I think bowling Jasprit Bumrah for three overs in the first six was an even more aggressive option with the ball. We don’t want to be a side which is only known as an aggressive batting order, we want to be a side which should be known as an aggressive side overall.
Gambhir further added: “I thought that the Asia Cup, it has really worked well for us because bowling just Bumrah in the first three obviously makes us win the powerplay most of the time. And then obviously, we got two wicket-taking options in the middle with Varun and Kuldeep. So it gives them a lot of leverage to bowl with freedom in the middle phase. And we can take wickets all the time. And that was one of the reasons. So I felt that I think it was a very aggressive move, not only with the bat, but also with the ball as well. And that is how we want to play the game as well.”
Gautam Gambhir’s thoughts on Shivam Dube’s resurgence with ball in hand.
Shivam Dube has had somewhat of a resurgence as a bowler and he has been trusted with different roles under Gautam Gambhir. In the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, he was trusted with the new ball and he delivered conceding just 12 runs off the two overs he bowled in the powerplay. On the recent tour of Australia, Dube picked up vital wickets bowling in the middle overs. ‘
Speaking on this matter, Gambhir said: “Just throw guys in the deep sea, as simple as it can get. We did the same with Shubman Gill as well. When he was appointed as a Test captain for an England series, we had pushed him in the deep sea. He came out as a proper professional swimmer. The same was with Shivam Dube as well. You’ve got to put them under pressure, extreme pressure and see how these guys react and see what Shivam did.”
He further added: “Imagine if he wouldn’t have been thrown in that deep sea, we would have never got to know what kind of a character and what improvement he has when it comes to pressure situations. And imagine the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, bowling the first and third over for 12 runs. Imagine the amount of confidence he must have got after those two overs. He might not have ever got it in the past with the ball in hand. So sometimes when you push people in those situations, they come out flourishing.”
Gambhir went on to say: “I just felt, I think there is so much from Shivam’s point of view, he can contribute to the team. Sometimes what happens is that you only look at a player and say that he can hit, he can be useful against a certain bowler, he can break open the game with the bat. I think someone who’s six foot tall, who can bowl at a decent pace, who’s got different variations, it’s only about giving him confidence as well.”
Gautam Gambhir talks about Abhishek Sharma and others batting with freedom.
Abhishek Sharma’s vital contributions at the top of the order have been attributed to the freedom with which he bats. Gambhir insisted that the entire team has been empowered to play with the same freedom that Abhishek does.
Gautam Gambhir said: “It’s not only with Abhishek. I think we’ve given freedom to everyone. I think it’s going to be unfair on me as a head coach if I only talk about giving freedom to Abhishek just because his style suits that kind of a play. But for me, I think freedom is for everyone. And high risk, high reward. Ultimately, if your don’t take risks, you will never have high rewards as well. The 15 people in the dressing room, they’ve got all the freedom to go out there and express themselves and don’t fear making a mistake.”
He further added: “Because I’ve always been a big believer, the more you think about making a mistake, fear making a mistake, the more you will make mistakes. It’s okay to drop a catch. It’s okay to bowl a bad ball. It’s okay to play a bad shot. Human beings are bound to make mistakes. And we will give them the liberty to fail. And we will give them the liberty to make mistakes. Because the more we start telling them not to make mistakes, they will make more mistakes.”
Gautam Gambhir on the toughest job he has had to do as coach.
Gautam Gambhir said that his toughest job as a coach was having conversations with players who were left out of the playing XI. Plentiful options and a strong bench strength has meant that players like Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav had had to sit out with the team adopting a horses for courses approach.
Gautam Gambhir said: “That’s the toughest job I have. I know that there is so much of quality sitting on the bench, and I know everyone deserves to be part of the playing XI, but ultimately you can only pick XI thinking which is the best combination to do the job on that particular day.
Gambhir further added: “But for me, the most important thing is the conversation and communication as well. The communication needs to be very clear, very honest. Sometimes, obviously, those are hard conversations to have.”
He went onto add: “If you tell someone that he’s not playing, that’s probably the toughest conversation for a coach and a player as well because I know that the player would get upset when he deserves to be part of the playing XI. But if you’re honest, if you’re straightforward, if you know that what you’re saying is saying it from your heart and there is nothing beyond that, so I feel that some players do understand. And it’s a communication between a player and a coach.”
Gautam Gambhir will be hoping India tighten the loose ends and improve in the areas they need to improve and become a strong side come February-March 2026 when India come to defend their title in front of their home ground.