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Gautam Gambhir after his appointment as India's new head coach has clearly stated that his player selection approach will not be limited to any specific format. He believes that players who are ‘good enough’ should participate in all three formats of the game. This announcement came shortly after Gambhir succeeded Rahul Dravid as the new head coach, marking the beginning of a new era in Indian cricket. Moreover, the stalwart trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirements from the T20I format. Gambhir and the Indian team face an action-packed schedule ahead, and there has been much speculation about the pool of players who might play under the new regime. However, Gambhir has clarified his selection process, emphasizing his strong belief in players performing across all three formats.
You should be playing all the three formats: Gautam Gambhir
"I'm a very strong believer in one thing, that if you're good, you should be playing all the three formats. I've never been a big believer in injury management, you get injured, you go get recovered. As simple as it gets. When you're playing international cricket and you're good enough, you ask any of the top players, if they want to play all the three formats. They don't want to stay, and they don't want to be labelled as red-ball bowlers or white-ball bowlers. Injuries are part of sportsman's life," Gambhir had earlier told Star Sports.
"If you're playing all the three formats, you get injured, you go back, get recovered, but you should be playing all the three formats. I am not a big believer in identifying people that, we're going to keep him for test matches or other formats. We're going to manage his injury and workload and stuff. Professional cricketers, you've got a very small span when you're playing for your country, and you want to play as much as you can. And when you're in very good form, go ahead and play all the three formats," he added.
During his playing days, Gautam Gambhir was renowned for his aggressive style of play. This same intensity and aggression have been evident in his management roles as well, particularly during his tenure as a mentor with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders. His aggressive approach has been a hallmark of his leadership, reflecting his commitment and passion for the game. When discussing his approach towards the game, Gambhir's message was clear and consistent: play with honesty. This principle has guided his actions both on and off the field, emphasizing the importance of integrity and dedication in cricket.
"There's only one message, that tries and plays with honesty. Try and be as honest as you can with your profession. Results will follow. When I picked up the bat, I never thought of the results. I never thought that I was going to score these many runs. I've always believed that I have to be as honest as I can to my profession. Live on certain principles, live on certain values. Try and do the right things. Try and do things even if you think the whole world is against you. But your heart believes that you're doing the right thing for the best interest of the team," Gambhir said.
"Whether I've been aggressive on the cricket field, whether I've had confrontations with people, just because it was all in the best interest of the team. Try and do that because, ultimately, it's the team that matters, not the individual. So, go out there and only think of one thing, that try and make your team win. Whichever team you play for, because that is what team sports demands. It is not an individual sport where you think about your own self. It is a team sport, where it is the team that comes first. You're probably the last one that comes in the entire line-up," former India captain further added.
Talking about Gambhir's track record, he played a pivotal role in India's title triumphs in the T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011. As captain, he led the Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL title victories in 2012 and 2014, and later mentored the team to another title win in 2024. Gambhir's first assignment as the head coach of the Indian team will commence with the Men in Blue's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, starting on July 26.
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