'Need to identify players with fearless approach' - Gautam Gambhir's bold vision for Team India revealed

Gautam Gambhir, newly-appointed head coach of the Indian Cricket Team, is gearing up to start his second innings with the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in July-August.

Ahead of the announcement of ODI and T20I squads for the Sri Lanka tour, Gambhir's strategy has been unveiled and it states that there won’t be player-centric selections for Team India in his era, as he emphasized the importance of selecting players who suit the format and are right for the team combination.

Gautam Gambhir's approach to team selections revealed

The new coach said that they will select a player who naturally plays fearless cricket, particularly in ODI cricket. However, Gambhir has stressed the need for a balanced squad, including players capable of anchoring innings alongside those who can adapt to the demands of modern cricket.

Highlighting changes in the game’s rules, Gambhir opened up about the impact of having five new balls and fielding restrictions, as they diminished the role of part-time bowlers and changed traditional bowling strategies. The former Indian batter further pointed out the limited opportunities for reverse swing and challenges for finger spinners in the modern era.

Gautam Gambhir said in a video recently shared by Star Sports from 2023: “First you need to identify players, who have got their fearless approach as well, probably in a format like 50 overs. You need to have a mixture of players. You need players who can anchor as well. Change in rule has made a huge difference. During that time, you had one new ball.

Now you have five new balls with five players inside. So, the role of a part-timer has gone out of the window. You don't see enough reverse swing. You don't see enough purchase for the finger spinners as well.”

No player-centric selections in Gautam Gambhir's era

Meanwhile, Gambhir revealed that he believes in identifying players who naturally fit into specific roles rather than forcing a uniform playing style on the entire team, and this will be his approach as India's head coach.

He also stressed the importance of flexibility in team selection, as he is aiming to create a cohesive unit that can adapt to different game situations and playing conditions.

Gambhir further explained his point of view: “But I always feel, when you talk about this new approach, you got to identify players who can adapt to those roles, or to that template very easily. Some people just cannot adapt to a template so why push them to play a certain way which doesn't come naturally to them.

So, for me identifying players and at the same time getting the right mix is very, very important rather than thinking that we have to play in a certain template, so we have to select all the 15 with a similar mindset or a similar template.”

Notably, Gambhir's journey as Team India head coach will have a series of major challenges, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in February-March, followed by the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 Final, the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, and the ODI World Cup in 2027 in South Africa.