Hamilton, November 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has said his responsibility is to make the right decisions rather than popular ones, stressing that his job is not to keep everyone happy while managing the team’s deep pool of talent in T20 Internationals.
India are in New Zealand for a five-match T20I series and have secured an unassailable 3-1 lead ahead of Sunday’s final match. Speaking before the fifth game at Seddon Park, Gambhir explained his approach to managing a squad featuring several talented players.
“First of all, my job is not to make everyone happy. My job is to take the right decisions, not the popular decisions. And that is what I’m there for. I think sometimes in today’s day and age, with so much social media and all that chatter, what happens on the outside,” Gambhir told broadcasters.
He said that while taking popular decisions might be easy, ensuring players feel secure within the dressing room was more important.
“No, it is very easy to take the popular decision. But for me, I think the important thing is to take the right decision and make sure that there is a lot of security inside the dressing room. Because, as you just mentioned, there’s a lot of talent. But again, I think guys have done phenomenally well over a longer period of time. Obviously, they deserve a longer rope. And that is exactly how we approach the series,” he added.
Gambhir also praised the team’s ability to adapt to challenging conditions despite a demanding international schedule.
India had completed a five-match T20I series against the West Indies at home on October 17 before travelling to New Zealand. The team arrived after flying out on October 18 and had just one practice session ahead of the opening match on October 22. India went on to win the first three games of the series.
“Obviously it’s been a very short turnaround as well. We finished off on the 17th and flew on the 18th. Obviously we had one practice session. Got to give it to the boys, the way they adapted to the conditions. Obviously a lot of boys are coming here for the first time. And we all know how dangerous New Zealand is in their own backyard,” Gambhir said.
Asked how he keeps players motivated even when a series result has largely been decided, the head coach said representing the country should itself be a source of motivation.
“When you’re playing for your country, there is no complacency. You obviously got to; it’s an international game. Everyone knows how very few privileged people get the opportunity to represent the country. For me, I think every game is an opportunity to do something different, to learn something, to evolve. And that is exactly how we approach the game. I think there are no dead rubbers in my philosophy, in my ideology, and exactly the same is in the room as well,” he said.
Gambhir’s remarks underline his emphasis on backing players who have performed consistently while maintaining competition and security within India’s T20I squad.
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