Tag: Gautam Gambhir

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has hit back at claims that his side enjoys a home-like advantage in Dubai, dismissing the notion as baseless following his side’s commanding five-wicket win over Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final.

India, the 2013 champions, became the first team to secure a spot in the final after outclassing Australia at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. However, questions have been raised about whether the conditions gave them an unfair edge.

“Even if this tournament was played in Pakistan, we would have still gone with two spinners. The idea that we have some kind of edge in Dubai is completely unfounded,” said Gautam Gambhir while addressing the media after the match.

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He further emphasized that India hadn’t even trained at the Dubai International Stadium, instead preparing at the ICC Cricket Academy, which has completely different conditions.

“Tell me, when and where has India played a tournament under these current Dubai conditions? I can’t remember,” he argued, taking a direct swipe at the critics.

Dismissing the ongoing debate, Gambhir made it clear that India’s success had nothing to do with external factors.

“Dubai’s pitches don’t favour us in any special way. Our players have delivered in every department of the game because of their skill and hunger to win,” he asserted.

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He also took a shot at how performances are often judged purely on stats.

“As journalists, you look at numbers. We focus on a player’s impact. Scoring big runs doesn’t mean anything if it doesn’t influence the match outcome,” he explained.

With India now just one step away from clinching the title, Gambhir remained focused on the bigger picture.

“The job isn’t done yet; there’s still one crucial match to win,” he reminded.

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India head coach Gautam Gambhir has downplayed the hype around the high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan during the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The neighbouring countries will square off on Sunday, February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Gautam Gambhir discussed the emotional significance of the India-Pakistan match while emphasizing that it is still just another game as their primary objective is to win the Champions Trophy.

“Look, we don’t go to the Champions Trophy [2025] thinking that the 23rd is the most important game for us. I think five games, all the games are important,” Gautam Gambhir said during the annual BCCI awards.

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“The mission to go to Dubai is to win the Champions Trophy, not only win one particular game. But yes, if that is one game in the middle of winning the title, we’re going to try and take it as seriously as possible.”

“And more importantly, I think when two countries, India and Pakistan, play against each other, obviously the emotions are really high, but ultimately the contest remains the same.”

Gambhir emphasized the fierce competition in the eight-team tournament, stating that the format leaves little margin for error, making every match crucial for a title challenge.

“Champions Trophy is a completely different challenge as compared to the 50-over World Cup because literally every game is a make-or-break, so you can’t stop anywhere in this tournament,” Gambhir noted.

READ: Wasim Akram questions Faheem Ashraf’s selection in Pakistan squad

India coach Gautam Gambhir declined to confirm on Thursday whether embattled skipper Rohit Sharma would play in the decisive fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia but said he was “extremely confident” his team could win.

There will be at least one change to the side that lost the fourth Test at Melbourne this week by 184 runs after pace bowler Akash Deep was ruled out with a back problem.

Either Harshit Rana or Prasidh Krishna could play instead in the match which begins in Sydney on Friday.

Opening batter Rohit has failed to get past 10 runs in any of his five innings in Australia, with speculation mounting that the veteran could be axed.

The captain was not at India’s eve-of-match press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Instead Gautam Gambhir faced the media but offered no confirmation of Rohit’s fate.

“Everything is fine with Rohit and I don’t think it’s anything traditional,” he said when asked why Rohit was absent from the usual media duties.

“The head coach is here and that should be good enough. We are going to have a look at the wicket and finalise (the team) tomorrow.”

Asked again if Rohit would be part of that team, Gambhir responded: “The answer remains the same.”

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Rohit Sharma missed the first Test in Perth for the birth of his second child, with Jasprit Bumrah assuming the captaincy and guiding India to their only win of the five-match series so far.

Superstar batter Virat Kohli is also under pressure. Aside from scoring 100 not out in Perth, he has struggled to get out of single figures.

In contrast, younger batsmen such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Kumar Reddy have excelled.

“It is not about phasing out senior players or getting the youngsters in,” Gambhir said. “Ultimately the only thing that can keep you in that dressing room is performance.”

Australia are currently leading the series 2-1 with India needing to win in Sydney to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Gambhir said he remained upbeat despite the victory in Perth being India’s only win in their last seven Tests.

“Extremely confident,” he said. “We know we have the skill sets, the individuals, we’ve got everything in that dressing room that can win a Test match here.

“Not only here, but will probably go on to do some unbelievable things in the future as well.”

READ: Mitchell Marsh dropped as Australia unveil Playing XI for fifth Test against India

India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Monday backed “incredibly tough men” Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to prove their critics wrong and find form in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.

Skipper Rohit and superstar batter Kohli came under fire after India suffered a humiliating 3-0 Test series defeat against New Zealand at their home soil.

Rohit scored 91 runs in three matches, while Kohli managed just 93.

Speaking just before India flew off to Australia for a blockbuster five-match Test series, Gambhir said he had “no concerns for Virat and Rohit”.

“They are incredibly tough men,” he said. “They’ve achieved a lot for Indian cricket and they will continue to achieve a lot in the future as well.”

Gautam Gambhir hit out at Ricky Ponting after the former Australia captain questioned the longer-term form of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

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“What does Ponting have to do with Indian cricket?” Gambhir said.

Gambhir said the Indian team as a whole were eager to prove themselves after the New Zealand defeat, only their second Test series whitewash at home.

“I feel there is a lot of hunger, especially after what has happened in the last series,” he said.

Gambhir believes the biggest challenge in Australia will be the quicker pitches compared to India, where conditions are traditionally spin-friendly.

But Gambhir said his under-the-cosh side were ready to “fire from ball one” in a series that starts in Perth on November 22.

“We’ve been to Australia many times, so that experience will be crucial,” said the coach, who has also faced some flak.

“If we play to our potential, we play our best cricket, we can beat anyone on any wicket.”

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India head coach Gautam Gambhir blamed T20 cricket for the team’s recent struggles in Test cricket ahead of the third and final match against New Zealand.

The Black Caps sealed their first-ever Test series victory on Indian soil last week in Pune and are now chasing a 3-0 sweep in the final match starting Friday at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

India’s famed batting line-up, led by skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, has flopped in the series including the hosts’ 46 all out in the first innings of the opening Test.

Gambhir attributed the poor showing to an attacking 20-over mindset, at the expense of the conservative posture needed for long spells at the crease.

“The foundation of your batting in Test cricket has to be defence,” said Gambhir. “Probably a lot to do with playing on flat wickets in T20 cricket,” he added.

“We will have the same issues with a lot of other teams as well because the more T20 cricket is played, the less people will start defending.”

New Zealand beat India at their own game of spin for a 113-run victory in the second Test with Mitchell Santner returning a match haul of 13 wickets.

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Gautam Gambhir rejected accusations by pundits that India had lost the ability to counter spin attacks from other teams.

“I don’t think so, sometimes you got to give it to the opposition as well,” Gambhir told reporters.

“I think Mitchell Santner was outstanding in the last game, but yes, we’ll keep working hard. We’ll keep getting better. That’s about it.

“Guys are putting a lot of hard yards in the nets. Yes, ultimately it’s the results that matter when you’re playing international cricket, but I don’t think that our skill against spin has actually gone down.”

India lost the second match inside three days to suffer their first home series loss in 12 years and end a streak of 18 series wins at home in the period.

The final Test will be India’s last before they head for their all-important tour of Australia starting with the first of five Tests on November 22 in Perth. Gambhir said his men were determined not to gift New Zealand a clean sweep.

“Every time you lose a game, be it at home or be it away from home, it should hurt. That hurt will make us better,” he said.

“For me, it’s good that World Test Championship points are important and there are no dead rubbers any more in Test cricket. We should try and win this Test match so that we go to Australia with a win under our belt.”

READ: Wasim Akram confident India will visit Pakistan for Champions Trophy

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has recently unveiled his all-time World XI, featuring three players from Pakistan.

Gambhir’s all-time XI consisted of players from various cricketing nations whom he competed against during his 13-year-long international career.

The former southpaw picked Australia’s aggressive opening duo of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, who were instrumental to the country’s third consecutive ODI World Cup in 2007.

The lineup also features former South African swashbuckling batter AB De Villiers, followed by West Indian legend Brian Lara.

De Villiers earned the nickname “Mr. 360” due to his remarkable skill in hitting the ball to all areas of the field, showcasing his exceptional range as a batsman.

On the other hand, Lara was renowned for his graceful and technically sound batting style, which captivated fans with its elegance and finesse.

Gambhir picked former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for his batting prowess in the middle order.

Inzamam was renowned for his exceptional talent in stabilizing the innings and effortlessly switching gears based on the requirements of the match.

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The Indian head coach’s lineup was further bolstered by the presence of three renowned all-rounders, namely, Australia’s Andrew Symonds, Pakistan’s Abdul Razzaq, and England’s Andrew Flintoff.

Symonds was an explosive batting all-rounder, who could bowl handy off-spin, while Razzaq and Flintoff were considered complete all-rounders, who could change the course of the match with their equally good abilities with both bat and ball.

Sri Lanka’s legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was chosen as the sole spinner in Gambhir’s all-time World XI.

Muralitharan holds the record for taking the most number of wickets in both Test and ODI cricket.

South Africa’s Morne Morkel, who is currently serving as the bowling coach under Gambhir, was picked to share the pace bowling duties with Pakistan’s fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

Akhtar, the fastest bowler to ever play the game, was famous for his fearsome pace bowling.

Gautam Gambhir’s All-time World XI: Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, AB de Villiers, Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Andrew Symonds, Abdul Razzaq, Andrew Flintoff, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shoaib Akhtar, Morne Morkel

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Former Indian captain and renowned commentator Ravi Shastri has welcomed Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as the head coach of India, calling it a refreshing change for the team.

Former opening batter Gambhir, earlier this month, was confirmed as the new India head coach, preceding Rahul Dravid, who stepped down after overseeing the team’s perfect T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.

Ravi Shastri, who also worked as the head coach of India, expressed confidence in Gambhir’s abilities and ideas, which resonate with the requirements of modern-day cricket.

“He’s contemporary, he just had a great season in the IPL. I think he’s the right age where he’s young, he’ll come with fresh ideas,” Shastri said on Gambhir on the ICC Review.

“He knows most of the players, especially in the white-ball format, having been part of teams in the IPL. So I think it’s refreshing.”

For the unversed, Gambhir recently served as the Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor in the recent edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading them to their third title.

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Prior to that, Gambhir had mentored Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2022 and 2023 and helped them reach the playoffs in both editions.

Shastri also expressed his belief that Gautam Gambhir would experience significant advantages from being part of a mature and well-established team.

“And we know with Gautam, he’s a no-nonsense guy. He’ll have his ideas as well. And the good thing for him is he’s got a mature team. He’s got a settled team, a mature team,” he added.

“I think even though you might think you’re mature, you might benefit from some fresh ideas. So I think it’ll be an interesting time.”

However, the former head coach thinks that the major challenge for any coach is player management.

“Obviously, player management becomes the key as a coach. So it’ll be interesting to see how he goes. I think he’s got the tools, he’s got the goods for the job and he’s got the experience.”

READ: Harbhajan Singh not in favor of India visiting Pakistan for Champions Trophy

Former Pakistan Test cricketer Tanveer Ahmed has not minced his words in criticizing the newly appointed head coach of India Gautam Gambhir, labelling his appointment as a ‘Parchi’ case.

Former opening batter Gambhir, earlier this month, was confirmed as the new India head coach, preceding Rahul Dravid, who stepped down after overseeing the team’s perfect T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.

However, the former Pakistan pacer thinks that former India batter VVS Laxman should have been appointed as the head coach. Laxman is currently the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and has served as India’s stand-in coach during Dravid’s tenure.

Tanveer Ahmed shared his opinion on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, calling Gautam Gambhir a ‘parchi.’

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“VVS Laxman should have become the head coach of the Indian team because he has been with the India B team as coach for a long time. It seems as if Gautam Gambhir’s appointment is a ‘Parchi’ case,” he posted.

For the unversed, Gambhir recently served as the Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor in the recent edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Prior to that, Gambhir had mentored Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2022 and 2023 and helped them reach the playoffs in both editions.

Gautam Gambhir played a pivotal role in India’s success in the 2007 World T20 and ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2011, top-scoring in the finals of both tournaments.

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India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir made a major prediction regarding the longevity of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, highlighting their importance for the team in the upcoming major tournaments like the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan.

Gambhir, while speaking to the media ahead of the team’s departure for Sri Lanka for a three-match each ODI and T20I series, heaped praise on the senior batting duo of Virat and Sharma for their abilities to deliver on the big stage, before going on to claim that they have enough cricket left in them to feature in the ICC Men’s World Cup 2027.

“I think they have shown what they can deliver on the big stage, whether it’s the T20 World Cup or the 50-over World Cup. One thing I can be very clear is that both of those guys have a lot of cricket left in them,” said Gambhir.

“And more importantly, the Champions Trophy is coming up and a big tour of Australia, they will be motivated enough. And then hopefully, if they can keep their fitness, the 2027 World Cup is there,” he added.

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The newly-appointed India head coach, however, termed the decision of either Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli to continue playing “a very personal decision” but emphasized that the team comes first.

“This is a very personal decision. I can’t say how much cricket is left in them. Ultimately, it’s up to them. It’s up to the players (to decide) how much they can contribute to the team’s success.

“Ultimately, it’s the team that is important. Looking at what Virat and Rohit can deliver, they have a lot of cricket. They are still world-class. Any team would want both of them for as long as possible.

Gautam Gambhir also opened up regarding the importance of workload management which saw Jasprit Bumrah rested for the Sri Lanka tour.

“Workload management for someone like Jasprit Bumrah is important. Rohit and Virat are not playing T20s, so they need to be available for most of the important games.

“For a batter, if he can play good cricket and be in good form, might as well play all the games. Not just for Jasprit Bumrah, but most of the bowlers, workload management is important.”

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Star India batter Virat Kohli reportedly sent a message to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding playing under the newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir, Indian media reported Friday.

According to the details, Kohli who had a bitter history with Gambhir, assured the cricket board that their past on-field altercations would not affect the player-coach relationship and also the atmosphere of the team’s dressing room.

“Kohli is believed to have stated that previous issues will not affect their professional relationship in the dressing room. Following the (T20) World Cup final in Barbados, discussions were reportedly held on the matter,” Cricbuzz reported.

“Kohli, who, like Gambhir, is from Delhi, assured the concerned parties that he recognises both are working towards the country’s interests and is ready to move on from earlier disagreements,” the report added.

Earlier, reports emerged that Gautam Gambhir wanted senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah to feature in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka.

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Apparently, both Kohli and Sharma took Gambhir’s call in a positive manner and made themselves available for the three-match series, scheduled for next month, and were subsequently named in India’s squad.

For the unversed, both Gambhir and Kohli made attempts during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 to bury the hatches as the two were seen sharing light moments.

Later on, Virat Kohli took a jibe at the trolls, asserting he disappointed them by hugging Gautam Gambhir.

“People are very disappointed with my behaviour. I hugged Naveen, and then the other day, Gauti bhai [Gautam Gambhir came and hugged me. Your masala is over, so you’re booing. We’re not kids anymore,” Kohli said during a private event.

Gambhir echoed Kohli’s remarks during an interaction after the IPL and stated that his relationship with Kohli is something the country does not need to know.

“The perception is far away from the reality. My relationship with Virat Kohli is something this country doesn’t need to know. He has as much right as I do to express himself and help our respective teams win. Our relation is not to give masala to the public,” Gambhir said.

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