New Delhi:
In the wake of India’s convincing 4-1 T20I series victory over England, head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the lingering rumors of a rift within the Indian cricket team that surfaced during their recent tour to Australia. Gambhir, known for his candidness, took the opportunity to clarify the nature of these rumors and outline the team’s new high-risk, high-reward approach in T20 Internationals.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, speculation about divisions within the Indian team gained traction, particularly as the team faced a series of defeats. However, Gambhir chose to remain silent on these rumors until after the recent T20I series win against England. In a post-match interview, he explained that such rumors often emerge when the team is not performing well but tend to dissipate once positive results are achieved.
Gambhir emphasized that the dynamics within the team are influenced by the outcomes of matches. “When things are not going okay, there will be so many things said about the dressing room,” he noted. However, with the team’s recent success, Gambhir highlighted that the focus has shifted towards a more aggressive and daring strategy in T20 cricket.
The Indian team has adopted a bold “high-risk, high-reward” approach, aiming to score totals in the vicinity of 250-260 runs regularly. This strategy was evident in the T20I series against England, where India set impressive targets such as 181 for 9 in Pune and 247 for 9 in Mumbai. Gambhir praised the team’s adaptability to this new approach, stating that they are willing to play without the fear of losing.
While acknowledging that this aggressive strategy may lead to occasional low scores, Gambhir stressed that it is essential for achieving significant rewards in the format. “Unless and until you don’t play that high-risk cricket, you won’t get those big rewards as well,” he said. The team’s focus now is on maintaining this high-risk approach as they prepare for upcoming big tournaments.
Gambhir’s comments underscore the team’s commitment to a new era of T20 cricket, one that values boldness and a willingness to take risks. As the Indian team looks to the future, their strategy is clear: to push the boundaries of what is possible in the shortest format of the game.
