India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has shared his strategic outlook for the T20 World Cup 2026, stressing the importance of adaptability and impact in the shortest format. Since taking over after the team’s 2024 World Cup victory, Gambhir has presided over a highly successful period for the Indian T20I side, marked by an impressive win-loss record and multiple series triumphs.
Gambhir’s coaching philosophy champions a dynamic approach to the batting order. He believes that in T20 cricket, focusing on the impact a player can make in specific situations is far more crucial than simply accumulating runs or high strike rates, with the exception of the opening batsmen. “The batting orders are very overrated, except the openers obviously,” Gambhir noted. “Rest I think everything shuffles because it’s not the amount of runs that matter in T20I cricket, it’s the impact that matters.”
He advocates for a progressive mindset, urging the team and coaching staff to evolve alongside the game. “T20 cricket will evolve, and as coaches if we don’t evolve, we will be behind the eight ball,” he stated. Gambhir wants the team to play with both courage and intelligence. Additionally, he sees India’s array of all-rounders, including Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, as a critical asset, providing the team with essential balance and batting depth that can be leveraged effectively across diverse playing conditions for the upcoming World Cup.