India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, recently unveiled his definitive checklist for young cricketers striving to don the national jersey. Forget just piling up runs or grabbing wickets – Gambhir believes other qualities are far more critical.
New Delhi: India’s Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrate with the trophy after winning the cricket Test series against West Indies.
“First and foremost, you look at talent. Then you look at the work ethic. You look at the characters in that dressing room, especially in red-ball cricket,” Gambhir explained to reporters. “Beyond the sheer numbers of runs and wickets, it’s about what else they bring to the table. Their hunger to succeed matters immensely. If a player possesses all these attributes, a successful Test career is almost certainly within reach.”
Over the past year, the Indian team has seen a significant transformation across all formats under Gambhir’s guidance. Recognizing the inherently insecure nature of international cricket, Gambhir strongly advocates for giving players a sustained period to prove themselves.
“For me, giving them a longer run is incredibly important because, as we all know, international cricket is a very insecure environment — only 15 players can represent the country, and there are so many waiting for their opportunity,” he stated. “So make sure you first pick the right characters, and then, if you see that, try to give them a longer run so they feel content and happy that they’ve had enough chances, rather than just chopping and changing.”
Gambhir revealed his personal dislike for the term “dropping” players, admitting he feels a strong emotional connection whenever a deserving individual misses out on national team selection.
“Sometimes it’s genuinely difficult as a head coach and a team management member because you inevitably have to leave players out. I prefer not to use the word ‘dropping’ players because you don’t really drop players — you only select players,” he elaborated. “When a player isn’t selected, the absolute least a coach can offer is empathy, not a ruthless approach.”