Kolkata (West Bengal) [India]March 16 (ANI): Team India Men’s head coach Gautam Gambhir said he would relish the opportunity to be associated with cricket’s return to the Olympic Games, according to a release.
With cricket set to mark its return to the Olympics with the LA 2028 Games, Gambhir said it would be a “huge honour” to be a part of the Games and represent India.
“I would love to be part of the Olympics. It’s a huge honor. Very few get the honor of representing India at the Olympics,” said Gautam Gambhir, during Day Two of RevSportz Trailblazers 4.0.
The India head coach also spoke about the philosophy that has shaped his approach to leadership and preparation.
“I was very clear from the first day. The tougher the game, the more aggressive you have to be. Come the big game, come the crunch game, you’ve got to be more aggressive,” he said.
On backing players during difficult phases, a belief that he says is rooted in trust rather than short-term results, Gambhir opined, “You don’t pick a squad on hope. You pick a squad on trust and faith. You don’t lose trust after just three or four matches.”
Explaining his philosophy further, he acknowledged that mistakes are inevitable in decision-making, saying, “I’m human and I also make mistakes. Wrong decisions with the right intent are acceptable. Wrong decisions with the wrong intent are never allowed in that dressing room.”
Gambhir also stressed that success is a collective effort and credited the entire support system around the team.
“Success is never about one person. It belongs to everyone in the dressing room, from the players to the support staff.”
Looking ahead, he admitted that India still have work to do in the longer format of the game.
“Transition in red-ball cricket is always tougher than white-ball cricket. But if the team keeps working hard in the right direction, we will be fine,” Gambhir said.
Gambhir also thanked former BCCI secretary and current ICC chair Jay Shah for placing his faith in him and explained why instinct often plays a key role in his decision-making.
“I have taken all the calls on my instincts. My instincts are faster than data, and sometimes data too can be misleading,” he said. (ANI)
