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"I don’t want to be the most successful coach...": Gambhir’s shares bold vision for India

Sakshi Sharma

Gautam Gambhir (Source: AFP)Gautam Gambhir (Source: AFP)

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has opened up about his coaching philosophy and the leadership transition in a candid interview with Aakash Chopra for JioHotstar. Speaking ahead of the second Test match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Gambhir emphasised that the national team belongs to its captains, not the coach.

Gambhir, who took over as head coach in July 2024 after Rahul Dravid’s tenure ended, spoke about giving complete ownership to current captains Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav, who lead India. 

“Ultimately, Suryakumar Yadav is still the leader of the T20I team. It’s his T20 team, not mine. It’s Shubman’s Test and ODI team, not mine,” Gambhir told Aakash Chopra.

Gambhir praises Suryakumar Yadav's mindset

He also praised Suryakumar Yadav for his risk-taking nature and for creating the same atmosphere in the dressing room, one that led India to an unbeaten Asia Cup 2025 run, including three wins over Pakistan. 

“The kind of character that Surya is, that’s precisely what you want in T20 cricket. He himself is so free, whether with the bat in the middle or off the field. T20 cricket is all about freedom. It’s about expressing yourself. Jaisa character aapka hoga off the field, waisi hi personality hogi on field. And the character you have, will also reflect in the dressing room vibe. The way he has kept the team atmosphere for over a year in the side… look at the results as well. It’s high-risk and high-reward cricket,” Gambhir said.

Gautam Gambhir revealed that one of his first messages to Suryakumar was clear 'do not fear failure'. He insisted that his focus is not on becoming the most successful coach but on building the most fearless team.

“The first conversation I had with Surya was, we will not fear losing. I don’t want to be the most successful coach in the history of Indian cricket. We’d rather be the most fearless team. 


 Logon ki opinions matter nahi karni chahiye because they’re not experiencing the pressure that we are.” 

Lastly, he added that such a mindset removes the fear of judgment, helping players stay relaxed and perform under pressure. Having said all this, it will be interesting to see whether Team India will continue with the same 'Fearless' approach in the upcoming Australia tour.