Gautam Gambhir, the recently appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, made a strong case for cricketers to participate in all formats of the game, regardless of whether it’s the red-ball format, Test cricket, or the white-ball formats, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 (T20). In an exclusive interview with Star Sports, Gambhir expressed his views on the necessity for cricketers to diversify their skills across formats, emphasizing that specialization should not be the norm.
“I firmly believe that if you’re good enough, you should be playing all three formats,” Gambhir stated assertively. He contends that the best players should not limit themselves to one type of game; instead, they should strive to excel in all formats. While his comments might appear to be a generalized opinion, they still pinpoint a critical issue facing Indian cricket: the tendency of some players to shy away from the longer format of the game, especially Test cricket.
A prime example of this is Hardik Pandya, the dynamic Indian all-rounder who hasn’t played Test cricket since September 2018. Despite showing substantial promise in his initial 11 Tests, Pandya has avoided the red-ball format. His absence has not gone unnoticed, with cricketing legends like Sunil Gavaskar urging him to return. “I’m hoping that, in these next two months, there will be some effort made to try and convince Hardik Pandya to come back to Test cricket,” Gavaskar mentioned recently, echoing Gambhir’s sentiments.
Gambhir touched upon the often-cited issue of injury concerns that come with playing all formats. He argued that players should not evade participating in a format due to the risk of injury. “I’ve never been a big believer that injury management means you avoid playing certain formats. If you get injured, you recover – it’s as simple as that. Injuries are part of a sportsman’s life, and if you’re playing all three formats, you might get injured, but you should come back, recover, and continue playing all formats,” Gambhir emphasized.
Gambhir’s tenure as head coach is set to begin with the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka later this month.
. His comments highlight his philosophy towards the game, especially his belief that top players should aim to participate in all formats rather than being pigeonholed into specific types.
“When you’re playing international cricket and you are good enough, ask any of the top players – they want to play all three formats,” Gambhir continued. “They don’t want to be limited to being known as just a red-ball bowler or a white-ball bowler.” This viewpoint challenges the current trend of identifying and categorizing players strictly based on the format they excel in, which often leads to selective participation and intense workload management.
“I am not a big believer in the practice of earmarking players solely for Test matches or other formats,” he stated. “We’re going to manage injuries and workloads, but professional cricketers have a very limited span when playing for their country. They should want to play as much as they can. And when you’re in a good form, you should go ahead and play all three formats.”
Gambhir’s assertion underscores a significant point: the professional lifespan of an athlete is limited, and maximizing participation across formats is crucial for a fulfilling career. His comments are expected to stir some debate, especially among those who favor the current trend of specialization and meticulous workload management.
Gambhir’s stance opens up a dialogue about the future of Indian cricket. Will players take heed and strive for excellence in all formats, or will the prevailing trend of specialization continue to dominate? Only time will tell how his philosophy will shape the team’s dynamics and, ultimately, its performance.
As the Indian team prepares for the forthcoming series against Sri Lanka, all eyes will be on how Gambhir’s coaching philosophy will impact team strategies and individual player participation. His insistence on an all-format approach could potentially revolutionize the way Indian cricket is played and perceived, fostering a new generation of cricketers who are adept across all formats of the game.