Hamilton, Nov 1 (IANS) India head coach Gautam Gambhir stressed that his job with the Indian team is “not to make everyone happy” and that he focuses on taking “right call” rather than “popular decisions” as he manages a deep T20I squad.
India are currently on New Zealand shores for a five-match series, in which they are having an unassailable 3-1 lead. Speaking ahead of the fifth and final match of the series, Gambhir opened up on managing a deep Indian squad.
“First of all, my job is not to make everyone happy. My job is to take the right decisions, not the popular decisions. And that is what I’m there for. I think sometimes in today’s day and age, with so much social media and all that chatter, what happens on the outside,” Gambhir told broadcasters ahead of the fifth match at Seddon Park.
“No, it is very easy to take the popular decision. But for me, I think the important thing is to take the right decision and make sure that there is a lot of security inside the dressing room. Because, as you just mentioned, there’s a lot of talent. But again, I think guys have done phenomenally well over a longer period of time. Obviously, they deserve a longer rope. And that is exactly how we approach the series,” he added.
Gambhir also hailed the team for their performance in the five-match series, despite it being a hectic T20I schedule in the last month or so. India arrived in New Zealand after having wrapped up a five-match T20I series against West Indies at home on October 17. They were on the field in completely different conditions on October 22 for the start of the five-match T20I series in New Zealand and won the first three matches.
“Obviously it’s been a very short turnaround as well. We finished off on the 17th and flew on the 18th. Obviously we had one practice session. Got to give it to the boys, the way they adapted to the conditions. Obviously a lot of boys are coming here for the first time. And we all know how dangerous New Zealand is in their own backyard,” Gambhir said.
On keeping the players motivated, the head coach said, “When you’re playing for your country, there is no complacency. You obviously got to; it’s an international game. Everyone knows how very few privileged people get the opportunity to represent the country. For me, I think every game is an opportunity to do something different, to learn something, to evolve. And that is exactly how we approach the game. I think there are no dead rubbers in my philosophy, in my ideology, and exactly the same is in the room as well.”
–IANS
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