In a wide-ranging talk, India coach opens up on unity in the squad, personal choices, and what defines a winning team
PANAJI
Speaking candidly in an hour-long conversation with Anand Narasimhan – Sr Anchor & Managing Editor of CNN News 18 at Goafest 2025, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir shared insights into his professional and personal journey.
“Not many get to wear the India jersey again – first as a player, now as coach,” Gambhir said.
He dismissed media-fuelled speculation around factionalism in the Indian dressing room, labelling it as “noise" and reiterated his loyalty lies with fans.
Gambhir has been Team India’s head coach since October 2024. He described the Indian dressing room as a space full of “honest, proud individuals” dedicated to making 140 crore Indians proud. Gambhir stressed the importance of team unity, open conversations and creating an atmosphere where players don’t feel “suffocated” by egos or fear of judgement.
“There have not been any personality clashes. Yes, there have been differences of opinion, and it happens in every profession,” he said.
“The coach’s job is to support the captain. It’s always the captain’s team. The coach can give inputs and play a supporting role, but it’s the captain’s call finally as he is the one running the team,” stressed Gambhir, under whose coaching tenure India recently won the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year in Dubai.
Gambhir also rejected the idea that players should mask their emotions. “If you’re showing emotions, it means you care. I’ve never done it for the cameras,” he stated.
Heated exchanges, he believes, are part of the passion, not dysfunction. “We’ve had dinner after those moments.”
He took full ownership for diffusing any tension, emphasising that the player is always under more pressure than the coach. “My job is to sort things out,” he stated.
The former India captain also insisted that he had no differences with Virat Kohli. Regarding Kohli and Rohit Sharma's retirement, Gambhir maintained that it must remain a personal choice, untouched by selectors or coaches. “Retirement is not just about form, it’s about what’s inside you,” he said.
Gambhir also had a brief but committed stint in politics as a Member of Parliament from 2019–2024. “After five years, I realised that my love lies somewhere else, cricket gives me happiness,” he revealed.
Though he has stepped away from politics, Gambhir strongly believes in public service. “Either I stop having opinions, or I have the courage to step in and change things,” he said. “Good people should absolutely get into politics. This country needs them.”
After opting out of elections and mentoring KKR for IPL, Gambhir found himself being offered the role of coaching the Indian team. “Life has a plan for you. Just keep doing the right things honestly,” he said.
Gambhir looks back on his career with contentment, not regret. “Very few people in India have two World Cup medals at home. In a team sport, 10,000 runs are not important. Winning and contributing in big moments is,” he said.
Looking ahead, Gambhir said he is focused on the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup in India, choosing not to speculate on the 2027 ODI World Cup. “If you keep performing, age is just a number,” he added, in reference to selection debates surrounding senior players.
On captaincy models, he said, “Ideally, one captain is easier. But practically, two captains are better today. You can’t captain for 12 months in a year, it affects performance and mental space.”
Gambhir said that if he was not a cricketer, he would have been a soldier, and he rued not joining the armed forces.
