Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has credited head coach Gautam Gambhir’s unwavering belief in his methods as the key reason behind India’s T20 World Cup triumph, saying the former opener’s clarity and courage under pressure made the difference.Speaking on Sports Tak, Yuvraj shed light on Gambhir’s coaching philosophy, describing him as someone with a sharp cricketing mind. “I have played with Gautam since under-16 and under-19, and I always felt he had a very good cricketing brain. The way he sees the game has always stood out,” Yuvraj said.
He pointed to Gambhir’s credentials as both player and mentor, recalling his match-winning knocks in two World Cup finals. “He has performed at the highest level and played a major role in winning two World Cups. Then as a mentor with Kolkata Knight Riders, he won titles again. He must be doing something right,” Yuvraj added.‘Sticking to his process led to World Cup triumph’Yuvraj emphasised that Gambhir’s biggest strength was his ability to stay committed to his gameplan despite criticism. “When you become India’s coach, there are too many eyes on you. One mistake is shown 100 times, one success 1000 times,” he said.Referring to the criticism Gambhir faced after India’s Test setbacks, Yuvraj noted: “He went through that phase but stuck to his process. That is what led India to the World Cup triumph. Now he is back on the high — there will always be ups and downs in cricket.”According to Yuvraj, Gambhir’s aggressive blueprint instilled fear in opponents. “He was clear — we have to play this brand of cricket even if there are failures. We are coming after you from the first ball. If it’s there to hit, players like Abhishek or Sanju will go for it from the first ball,” he explained.
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India’s bowling depth also played a crucial role, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack. “Whenever India are in trouble, they have Bumrah to bail them out, with Hardik and Arshdeep backing him,” Yuvraj said.He further highlighted the squad’s balance, noting the presence of quality spinners like Kuldeep Yadav even on the bench.Summing it up, Yuvraj reiterated: “Gambhir stuck to his process despite failures, and it rewarded him with the T20 World Cup.”
