Gautam Gambhir has never been one to mince words. And as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, he’s making it clear that only winning counts.
Reflecting on India’s recent tour of Australia in an
interview with the BCCI, Gambhir struck a no-nonsense tone, insisting that standards must remain sky-high as India gear up for next year’s T20 World Cup.
While the Men in Blue clinched a 2-1 victory in the T20I series, the mood in the camp wasn’t entirely celebratory. The preceding 2-1 ODI series defeat still stings — and for Gambhir, it’s a reminder that there’s “no satisfaction in losing.”
“I’ve always believed it’s not about individual performances,” Gambhir said. “Yes, we had some brilliant individual efforts, but ultimately, we lost the one-day series. That’s the bottom line. As a coach, I can never celebrate a series loss.”
The former World Cup winner added that representing India comes with a moral responsibility, one that demands collective success over personal milestones.
“I think it is my moral responsibility that we as a nation and we as individuals should never celebrate a series loss. Because ultimately, we are representing the country,” he emphasised.
Still, Gambhir acknowledged the positives from the tour, calling it a valuable learning experience ahead of the T20 World Cup. With just a few months left before the marquee event, he remains focused on fine-tuning the team’s approach and mindset.
“There were a lot of positives and a lot of learnings as well,” Gambhir noted. “We’re still not where we want to be, but the bigger picture is the World Cup. Hopefully, by then, we’ll be in the space we need to be in.”
