Gautam Gambhir praised Shreyas Iyer-led India for their 3-2 T20I series win over New Zealand, backing their fearless approach despite the pressure of coaching. He remains committed to this high-risk, high-reward style ahead of the ODI series.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir lauded the Men in Blue for a T20I series triumph over New Zealand. The Shreyas Iyer-led team concluded the T20I leg of the New Zealand tour with a 3-2 win, sealing the series victory in a hard-fought five-match contest.
The Men in Blue won the first three matches before losing to the hosts in the next two matches, with the most recent one being a seven-wicket defeat after New Zealand chased down a 192-run target with two overs to spare in the series finale at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1.
Now, the players who were picked in the India ODI squad for the five-match series against New Zealand will return to Eden Park in Auckland, where the visitors conceded 259/7 in 20 overs before losing by 87 runs in the 4th T20I, sealing the series 3-2 overall.
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‘No Dar in My Dictionary’
As Team India secured a series win in the T20I leg before heading into ODI matches, head coach Gautam Gambhir reaffirmed his management’s unwavering trust in an aggressive playing style, dismissing any notions of self-doubt following back-to-back defeats in the final two games.
Speaking to reporters after the fifth T20I defeat in Hamilton, Gambhir rejected any ‘dar’ (fear) or anxiety within the team environment, affirming that his unit remains steadfast in its high-risk, high-reward template regardless of venue conditions or tough match situations.
“In my dictionary, my directory, and my ideology, there is no place for ‘dar’, and that word does not exist in my life,” Gambhir said.
“I think we are professionals, and I’ve always believed that there are no excuses,” he added.
Team India has scored 973 runs in 92.5 overs across five matches, meaning they maintained an explosive overall run rate of 10.48 runs per over throughout the T20I series against New Zealand.
The Men in Blue’s best outing of the series was in the opening match at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, where the batting unit successfully chased down a 226-run target with two balls to spare in the final over.
Gautam Gambhir Speaks Out on Coaching Strain
Further speaking on the relentless schedule and the high expectations that come with managing Team India, Gambhir offered a candid assessment of the mental and physical toll of the job. When asked about being felt ‘mentally cooked’ because of juggling between formats, the 45-year-old admitted that while the grind can be exhausting, he remains built to handle the heat.
“From the workload point of view, I know it's tough. It can be very challenging as well. Especially when you are on the road and the kind of pressure you go through. Especially coaching a team like India, and people don't give you an inch. Everyone expects you to win every game, but you need to be realistic as well. I am enjoying it," Gambhir said.
“Yes, I have (mentally cooked), to be honest, but I am strong enough to manage that. I’m strong enough to take it for as long as I can. That's how I am built, and I can take pressure; I can take the bullet. But yes, I am a human being; there will be times when I will feel drained out, but till now I have been able to take it." he added.
Gautam Gambhir has been serving as India’s head coach since July 2024, taking over from Rahul Dravid after India's T20 World Cup triumph. His tenure runs through December 31, 2027, covering major ICC assignments including the 2025 Champions Trophy, the 2026 T20 World Cup, and the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Under Gambhir’s leadership, the Men in Blue won the Champions Trophy, T20 World Cup, and Asia Cup, solidifying a dominant era in white-ball cricket.
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