Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav recently revealed what head coach Gautam Gambhir told the players in the dressing room after their 96-run win over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026 final in Ahmedabad.
The Men in Blue successfully defended the T20 World Cup title, becoming the first team to do so. It was also the first time a team had won the T20 World Cup title at home.
In his speech after India’s T20 World Cup triumph, Gambhir said people will remember India for winning the T20 World Cup rather than winning 100 bilateral matches.
What Gautam Gambhir said after India’s T20 World Cup triumph
“This is the most important thing in our dressing room, nothing else matters. You can win 100 bilateral matches, and no one will remember. But they will always remember this trophy,” Gambhir said, while addressing the team in the dressing room, with the trophy on the table.
Suryakumar Yadav, also fondly known as SKY, spoke in detail about Gambhir’s speech after the T20 World Cup win.
“In the first four games we didn’t give him a chance to laugh — but after that I think he was very happy watching this team, because I don’t think any T20 side in India has ever batted like this, scoring 250, 256, chasing well. I think after the final he smiled the most,” he told. The Indian Express.
Suryakumar Yadav explained that Team India prioritized winning matches rather than focusing on personal milestones. “It was very important to spread this thing like a virus in the team from the start. We planted this team culture 18 months back,” added SKY.
India posted 255/5 on the board after being asked to bat first. The Men in Blue rode on knocks from Sanju Samson (89), Abhishek Sharma (52) and Ishan Kishan (54) to post the mammoth total.
New Zealand, in their reply, were bundled out for 159 in 19 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah starring with figures of 4/15. SKY said that there was no difference in approach towards playing ICC tournaments and bilateral series. “We will play ICC events the same way we play bilaterals — more courageously, more openly,” the 35-year-old said.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) player revealed the promise he made to Abhishek Sharma. The India opener endured three consecutive ducks early on in the tournament, and despite facing criticism, he bounced back with an 18-ball half-century in the final.
“I told him, ‘there are nine games in this World Cup, even if you fail in eight of them, score zero in all eight — I am taking the guarantee that you will face the first ball in the final’,” he said.
