Gautam Gambhir, the newly appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, has unveiled his vision for the future, emphasizing the need for players to participate across all formats of the game. Speaking candidly during an interview with Star Sports, Gambhir expressed his firm belief in the importance of versatile participation in cricket, transcending the boundaries between red-ball and white-ball formats.
“I’m a very strong believer in one thing, that if you’re good, you should be playing all the three formats,” Gambhir articulated. This statement reveals his clear stance against the growing trend of specialization among contemporary cricketers. His remarks are particularly significant in a time when several players have opted to prioritize limited-overs cricket, often at the expense of their Test careers.
One prominent example is Hardik Pandya, the dynamic all-rounder who last played Test cricket in September 2018, having participated in 11 Tests. Despite his evident talent and success in shorter formats, Pandya has stayed away from the longer, more arduous format of the game. This decision has attracted attention and remarks from cricketing legends like Sunil Gavaskar, who recently expressed hopes for Pandya’s return to Test cricket. “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 urged.
Gambhir went on to address the potential challenges posed by playing all formats, notably the risk of injuries. However, he was unequivocal in his dismissal of injury management as a reason to avoid playing in any format. “I’ve never been a big believer that injury management, you get injured, you go get recovered — as simple as it gets. Injuries are part of a sportsman’s life. And if you’re playing all the three formats, you get injured, you go back, get recovered, but you should be playing all the three formats,” Gambhir asserted. His approach underscores a traditionalist view, advocating for the overall development and resilience of players.
Gambhir’s tenure as head coach is set to begin with the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka later this month.
. His philosophy is rooted in the belief that elite cricketers should strive to compete in all formats while they are at the peak of their form and fitness. “When you’re playing international cricket and you’re good enough, you ask any of the top players, they want to play all the three formats. They don’t want to stay and they don’t want to be labelled as red-ball bowler or white-ball bowler,” he remarked.
This belief shines a spotlight on the core of Gambhir’s coaching ideology—a departure from the contemporary trend where players are often earmarked for specific formats to manage workload and prevent injuries. Instead, Gambhir stressed the importance of embracing the multifaceted nature of cricket. “I am not a big believer in identifying people that we’re going to keep him for Test matches or other formats. We’re going to manage his injury and workload and stuff. Professional cricketers, you’ve got a very small span when you’re playing for your country, and you want to play as much as you can. And when you’re in very good form, go ahead and play all the three formats,” Gambhir added.
As he steps into his new role, Gambhir’s comments set a clear expectation for the Indian cricket team. His stance may ignite discussions among players and the broader cricket community, especially for those who have been consciously avoiding the Tests to focus on their white-ball careers.
The forthcoming series against Sri Lanka will mark the beginning of what could be a transformative era under Gambhir’s guidance. His insistence on holistic participation could potentially alter the career trajectories of several Indian cricketers, encouraging them to revisit their role and commitment to Test cricket. With legends like Sunil Gavaskar backing this call, the discourse about the multifaceted involvement of cricketers in all formats is bound to gain momentum. Thus, Gambhir’s ethos might resonate well beyond the Indian dressing room, influencing the broader landscape of international cricket.