Gautam Gambhir, the newly appointed head coach of India’s men’s cricket team, held a press conference today in Mumbai, accompanied by chief selector Ajit Agarkar. The duo addressed questions on team selection before the tour of Sri Lanka, which includes a three-match T20I series and a three-match ODI series.
Gambhir, who takes over from Rahul Dravid, acknowledged the success of the Indian team under his predecessor, saying, “I’m taking over a very, very successful team. A T20 world champion. Runner-up in the World Test Championship and runner-up in the ODI World Cup. It’s not that it’s not a successful team. I have big shoes to fill.”
He also expressed confidence in his ability to lead the team forward, stating, “I think we can manage him better” in reference to Hardik Pandya’s fitness issues.
Agarkar echoed Gambhir’s sentiments, stating that Suryakumar Yadav was a deserving candidate for the T20I captaincy, citing feedback from the dressing room. Hardik Pandya was considered a strong contender for the captaincy but ultimately lost out to Yadav.
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When asked about the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who announced their retirement from T20Is after the ICC T20 World Cup win, Gambhir expressed confidence in their abilities, saying, “They have a lot of cricket left in them… there’s a big tour of Australia and Champions Trophy coming up, they will be motivated enough. And if they can keep their fitness even the 2027 World Cup.”
Gambhir also given reply to the question of relationship with Virat:
Gambhir also addressed speculation about his relationship with Kohli, saying that it is not public and between two mature individuals. He emphasized that their professional relationship is more important than any perceived personal differences, stating,
“Right now, the most important thing is we both are going to be working extremely hard to make India proud. And that’s our job.”
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Gambhir’s appointment as coach has generated excitement among fans, and he is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the team. With Agarkar by his side, Gambhir is set to lead India into new challenges and opportunities in the world of cricket.