Gautam Gambhir’s real face revealed by India batting coach: 'He's very clever...'

Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak revealed the real face of head coach Gautam Gambhir following their T20 World Cup 2026 triumph. The veteran batting coach praised the legendary former opener for his incredibly clever mindset, revealing that he provides complete freedom to the entire coaching staff.

The Men in Blue won their second ICC title under Gambhir in under two years. Following their unbeaten run in the Champions Trophy 2025, they won the T20 World Cup 2026 on home soil. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team has won 28 out of their 33 completed games in the shortest format since last year.

Gautam Gambhir Is A Very, Very Clever Person - Sitanshu Kotak

During a recent interview with Revsportz, Sitanshu Kotak opened up about the dressing room environment. The batting coach stated that Gautam Gambhir trusts his support staff and never forcefully imposes his personal thinking.

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"Gautam is a very, very clever person, very intelligent and very knowledgeable. Since I’ve come, he gives 100 per cent freedom. He won’t forcefully impose his own thinking. Till today, he has never told me regarding work, whether we win or lose, ‘Hey Kotak bhai, why did you do this, why did you do that’? Never," Kotak told Revsportz.

"He is so mature; he knows that even after doing everything right, sometimes the result might not come. If you play 50 matches, you might lose five or seven matches. You won’t win all 50," he added.

“Whatever a support staff member needs from a head coach, he provides 100 per cent support. He doesn’t interfere or stop you. He knows that the batting is for Kotak bhai to look after.”

They Never Blame Anyone For Winning Or Losing - Sitanshu Kotak

Sitanshu Kotak also lauded former coach Rahul Dravid and National Cricket Academy head VVS Laxman. Kotak stated that they have a unique ability to never blame anyone, irrespective of whether the national team secures a win or suffers a loss.

"I joined the NCA with Rahul bhai, spent years with Laxman, and now I’m seeing Gautam. Their mindset is the same: we will do good things, stay positive, and focus on a good process. They never blame anyone for winning or losing. Not a single word of blame comes from their mouths. It’s a sign of greatness," said Kotak (via the aforementioned source).

Gautam Gambhir Continues His Golden Run In ICC Tournaments

Kotak joined Gautam Gambhir's coaching staff at the start of the 2025 season. The Indian side underwent a massive transition following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

However, the new-look squad defended the title on home soil with an emphatic 96-run victory over New Zealand. They became the first-ever team to win the T20 World Cup three times. India also scored over 250 runs in both the semifinal against England and the final against New Zealand.

It is definitely worth mentioning that Gambhir has a brilliant track record in ICC events as both a player and a coach. He was an integral part of India's 2007 and 2011 World Cup-winning teams. Now, his coaching tenure already includes two international trophies.

Also read: Not 2027 World Cup or 2028 Olympics! Gautam Gambhir reveals his next target