India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has publicly affirmed his full confidence in T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, dismissing concerns over his recent dip in batting form. Gambhir made it clear that a few low scores are simply part of the game when a team is committed to an aggressively attacking style of play.
Under Suryakumar’s leadership, India recently clinched the Asia Cup title in the UAE. However, Suryakumar’s personal performance with the bat during the tournament was underwhelming, managing just 72 runs across seven innings.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Gambhir elaborated on the team’s philosophy: ‘Honestly, Surya’s batting form doesn’t worry me. We’ve established an ultra-aggressive approach in our dressing room, and when you adopt such a philosophy, occasional failures are bound to happen.’
‘It would be easy for Surya to play a cautious innings, perhaps scoring 40 runs off 30 balls, to avoid criticism. But as a team, we have collectively decided that it’s perfectly acceptable to fail while relentlessly pursuing this aggressive style,’ he added.
Despite Suryakumar’s struggles, emerging talents like Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma shone with their audacious stroke play. Gambhir, however, stressed that his primary focus remains on the team’s overall brand of cricket, not individual statistics.
‘Currently, Abhishek Sharma is in fantastic form and has maintained it throughout the Asia Cup. When Surya finds his rhythm, he will undoubtedly step up and take charge. In T20 cricket, our emphasis isn’t on personal run tallies, but on the fearless style of play we want to exhibit. With our aggressive mindset, batters might fail more often, but the impact they create ultimately outweighs mere runs,’ Gambhir explained.
The India head coach also shared insights into his collaborative relationship with Suryakumar and the unique team culture they are cultivating. ‘Surya is an exceptional individual, and good people naturally evolve into strong leaders. While he might praise my contributions, my role is simply to provide fair advice based on my understanding of the game. Ultimately, this is his team to lead,’ Gambhir stated.
He lauded Suryakumar’s leadership as an ideal match for India’s bold T20 vision. ‘His naturally free-spirited personality perfectly encapsulates the essence of T20 cricket – it’s all about freedom and self-expression. Your personality off the field inevitably reflects on it and within the dressing room, and Surya has masterfully maintained this positive atmosphere over the past year and a half.’
Gambhir revealed that from their very first discussion, he and Suryakumar agreed that the fear of losing would never be allowed to infiltrate the dressing room. ‘Our initial conversation established a clear principle: we will not fear losing. My ambition isn’t to be the most successful coach, but to build the most fearless team,’ he asserted.
He consistently reminded his players that errors are an inherent part of cricket, even in high-stakes matches. ‘In crucial games like the Asia Cup final, I told the players it’s okay to drop a catch, play a poor shot, or bowl an inaccurate delivery. Humans make mistakes. The only opinions that truly matter are those within our dressing room,’ he reiterated.
‘Surya and I are always on the same page: we will never shy away from making mistakes. The bigger the occasion, the more fearless and aggressive we need to be. A conservative approach only hands an advantage to the opposition. With the immense talent at our disposal, if we play without fear, we will undoubtedly succeed,’ Gambhir concluded.
India’s eventual triumph over Pakistan in the Asia Cup final stands as a testament to this philosophy – a fitting reward for a team founded on freedom, trust, and audacious cricket.