‘If team needs you, you need to play in a certain way’: Gautam Gambhir lays down ‘team-first’ ideology over ‘natural game’ – Times of India

Gautam Gambhir with the Indian team.

NEW DELHI: Trailing 1-2 in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Indian team faces a must-win situation as they prepare for the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir, in his pre-match press conference, emphasised the team’s core philosophy, amid the debate on cricketers playing their ‘natural game’: putting the team above individual interests.
“There is only one tendency and there is only one discussion – it’s the team-first ideology that matters. You need to play what the team needs. You can still play your natural game in a team sport – but if the team needs you, you need to play in a certain way,” Gambhir stated.

While Gambhir refrained from naming individuals, discussions around Rishabh Pant‘s shot selection after the fourth Test in Melbourne have sparked debate. Pant’s aggressive approach has drawn both praise and criticism, with skipper Rohit Sharma addressing the matter post-match at the MCG.
“He needs to understand what is required of himself, more than any of us telling him. It’s about him figuring out what is the right way to go about it,” Rohit said. “In the past, he’s given us a lot of success doing what he does, so as a captain, there’s a mixed reaction to that. Sometimes you want to back that thought of him playing the way he plays, and sometimes when things don’t look good, it frustrates everyone. The success and the failure—there needs to be a balance about it.”

Gambhir reiterated that the team’s sole focus is on securing a victory in the Sydney Test.
“Every individual knows in which area they need to work. When you play for your country, you want to give your best. I think the debates between a player and a coach should remain between them—conversations should be restricted to the dressing room. We had just one conversation in our dressing room—how we will win the next Test, as it is important for us,” he added.
The team will have to make at least one forced change, with Gambhir confirming that pacer Akash Deep is unavailable due to a back injury. “As of now, Akash Deep is out (for the fifth Test) due to a back issue,” the head coach confirmed.
The playing XI will be announced on match day after assessing the pitch, with Gambhir affirming, “Everything is fine with Rohit, and we will finalise the XI tomorrow.”