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Gautam Gambhir On India’s High-Risk Approach: “We Won’t Fear Losing”
By CricShots - Feb 3, 2025 12:28 pm
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The Indian team has once again asserted their dominance over T20I cricket, winning the series 4-1 over England. In the final match played at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the India team proved to be too potent for Jos Buttler, crushing them by a mammoth 150 runs. However, the hero of the game was scored by Abhishek Sharma, which has marked him as the second-fastest Indian to achieve a ton in T20Is. His blistering knock, coupled with an all-round team effort, ensured a fitting end to what was a high-intensity series.

Team India
Team India

One of the biggest talking points of the series has been the team’s fearless approach to batting, widely praised by cricketing experts as well as fans. Even India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, was beaming with pride while celebrating the aggressive mindset of his team, hinting that this is the kind of cricket he wants his teams to play, no matter what the costs are.

“That’s the kind of T20 cricket we want to play. We don’t want to fear losing a game; we want to play high-risk, high-reward cricket. These guys have embraced that ideology brilliantly,” Gautam Gambhir told Star Sports. “The foundation of this team is selflessness and fearlessness. Over the last six months, they have demonstrated it consistently.”

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Gautam Gambhir has further elucidated the ambition of India to push the limits in T20I cricket, regularly scoring 250-260 even if it means sometimes collapsing for 120-130. “That’s the reality of T20 cricket. Unless you play high-risk cricket, you won’t reap big rewards. We are on the right path, and we intend to maintain this approach in major tournaments without fearing losses.

While Abhishek Sharma was undoubtedly the batting hero of the series, Varun Chakravarthy emerged as the standout with the ball. The mystery spinner was named Player of the Series after he had picked up 14 wickets from five matches – an incredible comeback after his underwhelming performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Gambhir lauded the transformation in Varun and credited him for his adaptability as well as skill.

Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir

“His transition from IPL to international T20 cricket has been phenomenal. England is a top-class team with quality players, and the pitches in this series were excellent for batting. Yet, Varun bowled exceptionally well in crucial phases,” Gautam Gambhir noted.

A key tactical decision in the series was India’s reliance on spin, often playing just one specialist pacer. Gambhir explained that the combination of Varun and Ravi Bishnoi in the middle overs was crucial in countering England’s aggressive top order.

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“We knew England would come hard in the powerplay, but the real battle was between overs 7-15. Having two attacking spinners allowed us to take wickets in that phase, which was vital in restricting them.” Furthermore, Gautam Gambhir stated that having a batting option at No. 8 is very important, even if that player hardly gets to bat. “Our approach is to attack from the first ball. Having a cushion at No. 8 gives the top seven the confidence to play freely without hesitation.”

With the dominant series win, India has issued a strong statement ahead of what will come. Their fearless, aggressive approach is clearly proving successful, especially with players like Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy who have upped the ante. Indian T20 cricket looks very exciting for the future.