Gautam Gambhir (Source: AFP)
When Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach of the Indian team on July 9, 2024, succeeding Rahul Dravid, it marked the beginning of a bold new chapter. Known for his no-nonsense attitude, Gambhir was expected to shift Indian cricket away from a superstar-driven setup with a more aggressive approach and mindset.
Now, just over a year into his tenure, the transformation is already visible, both on the field and in the dressing room, as well as in the overall direction of the team. Having said that in this article, let's take a look at how Gautam Gambhir has transformed the Indian team till now.
1. Rohit and Virat step aside
On May 7, 2025, Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket, following his earlier retirement from T20Is after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup. Virat Kohli also ended his red-ball career on May 12, 2025, and his T20I career last year. So with both the experienced players stepping away from the the longest and shortest format, India decided to look beyond them and place their trust in Shubman Gill.
If we take a closer look at the transition of players and captaincy (in the Test format), it has been a smooth one, and without doubt, the credit should be given to Gautam Gambhir. He was clear with his stand and took the necessary call at the right time.
Rohit and Virat were visibly struggling in the longest format. Instead of holding on to legacy, Gambhir chose to back Shubman Gill to lead the new generation. It was a strong move, and he could sense that Indian cricket needed fresh energy. Gambhir, true to his reputation, did not shy away from taking a bold stand.
Having said this, this move turned out in India's favour, and the team has been performing significantly well in the T20I format and Test as well.
2. The rise of Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill has been elevated across formats. He now serves as the key player around whom the team is being built. The move is in line with Gambhir’s vision of a stable, long-term captaincy model, which clearly indicates- one captain for all formats.
Gambhir backed this vision once again and also appointed Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain, in addition to already being the Test skipper and T20I vice-captain for India. It is also believed that Gill is being groomed to lead India into the 2027 ODI World Cup.
This step, taken by the management and Gautam Gambhir, clearly indicates that they are developing the Punjab batter as the new face of the team.
3. Shreyas Iyer: From regular to specialist
Shreyas Iyer has been left out of the Test and T20I squads for a long time now. However, he has been appointed vice-captain of the ODI team under Gill for the upcoming Australia tour. It can be seen that his role has been restricted to a format-specific one.
4. Youth takes centre stage
From the time Gautam Gambhir was given the role of Head Coach, India has been investing heavily in young talent.
The one name that has performed exceptionally well is Abhishek Sharma, following the Gautam Gambhir era. In 24 T20Is, he has scored 849 runs at a staggering strike rate of over 195, and it would not be wrong to say that he is being groomed as a T20I opener post-Rohit.
In the bowling department, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana have also seen increased opportunities following the retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin and the reduced opportunities given to Ravindra Jadeja (due to age).
5. All-Rounders over specialists
One of the biggest changes under Gambhir has been the preference for multi-dimensional players. Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel have become crucial players, not just for their primary skills but for their ability to contribute across departments. This shift has no doubt provided the team with more flexibility and reduced the dependence on pure specialists.
Taking a look at the recent Asia Cup 2025 squad and the Champions Trophy, the selection team decided to focus more on all-rounders rather than specialists.
6. Right-Left batting strategy
From the time Gambhir has taken the role, he has clearly been fixed on one thing, which is the 'Left-Right' approach in batting combinations. India now prefers to mix right-handed and left-handed batters throughout the order to disrupt the opposition's bowling plans.
A similar strategy was seen during the Asia Cup 2025, where only Indian openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma were fixed, and the rest of the players in the team played as 'Floater' players.
Lastly, with the 2027 World Cup in vision, it would be interesting to see how Gautam Gambhir's strategies will work out for the future.
.jpg?type=mq "Rohit vs Kohli in Australia")
