Gautam Gambhir has made it clear that he prefers instinct over numbers when it comes to T20 cricket. The India national cricket team head coach shared his thoughts after India secured a crucial five-wicket victory against the West Indies cricket team to reach the semifinals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. India’s win at Eden Gardens was powered by a stunning unbeaten 97 from Sanju Samson.
Under intense scrutiny leading into the match, the wicketkeeper-batter delivered a match-winning performance that helped India chase down 196 in a high-pressure encounter. During the post-match press conference, Gautam Gambhir was asked how much he relies on data analytics while preparing for matches. The former India opener responded with a candid take that reflected his old-school cricketing mindset.
“I don’t believe in data, honestly. I have never seen data. I don’t even know what data is all about. I feel T20s are more about instinct and backing your instinct as well,” Gautam Gambhir said.
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He explained that his role as coach is to share his understanding of the game and support the leadership group.
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“Whatever knowledge I have about the game and the T20 format, I give it to the captain and try to help him out as much as I can.” However, Gautam Gambhir emphasized that the ultimate decisions always rest with the captain on the field. “But ultimately, it is the captain who takes the final call,” he added.
India also made a few interesting tactical calls with the ball during the match. Arshdeep Singh shared the new ball with Hardik Pandya, while spinner Axar Patel was introduced early with two overs inside the powerplay. When asked whether India was peaking at the perfect time in the tournament, Gautam Gambhir dismissed the idea altogether.
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“Look, I don’t believe in all this peaking at the right time. You’ve got to win every game that you represent your country in. There is nothing like peaking at the right time.” India will next face the England cricket team in the semifinal at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
