Gautam Gambhir Emphasizes Strong Relationships to Propel Indian Cricket Forward

Head coach Gautam Gambhir stresses the importance of maintaining strong relationships with senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gambhir, who took over from Rahul Dravid, aims to foster clear communication and unity in the team. He also dismisses rumors of discord within the team.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday highlighted the crucial need to build on existing relationships with senior players such as skipper Rohit Sharma and batting talisman Virat Kohli to drive Indian cricket forward.

Gambhir, who succeeded Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup, brings the experience of sharing the Indian dressing room with Kohli, Rohit, and Ashwin in recent years.

In a pre-match press conference, Gambhir emphasized the importance of his established rapport with the senior players, noting that their former player-to-player relationships could now be leveraged in new roles as coach and experienced players.

Despite past incidents like the IPL spat between him and Kohli, Gambhir dismissed any claims of strained relationships, asserting that his relationships within the team have always been strong.

Clear communication remains a cornerstone of Gambhir's coaching philosophy. He clarified that selection decisions are geared towards picking the best playing XI for each match, using recent examples to underscore the depth of India's bench strength.

(With inputs from agencies.)