Gautam Gambhir took over as India’s Head Coach in mid-2024 following a successful IPL-winning campaign with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
He was a prolific top-order batsman for the national team, performing in crunch situations and making headlines. Interestingly, Gambhir has often found himself in the spotlight even after hanging his boots, particularly due to his statements.
In one of his recent statements, which stems from a video uploaded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on bcci.tv, the Men in Blue’s Head Coach termed batting orders as “overrated”.
Gautam Gambhir On Batting Order In T20
Gautam Gambhir believes that apart from the opening pair, rest of the batting lineup should remain flexible as per him, it is the impact that matters in T20 cricket.
“I think the batting orders are very overrated, except the openers obviously. Two openers are permanent, rest I think everything shuffles because it’s not the amount of runs that matter in T20I cricket, it’s the impact that matters.“
“We don’t want to play the game thinking about averages and strike rates; we are thinking about how much impact a person can create in what situation,” Gambhir added.
He also stated that he wants the Indian team to play fearlessly, but smartly at the same time.
Gambhir’s Record In T20Is So Far
Gautam Gambhir has enjoyed a very successful run as India Head Coach in T20Is so far. He was won five consecutive international bilateral series, which were against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, England and Australia.
India also lifted the Asia Cup undefeated under his guidance, and will soon play the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at home, defending their title.
As for other formats, Gambhir had a rocky start in Tests, but has shown improvement of late. In One Day Internationals (ODIs) he has had a decent record, even having won the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year.
