India’s T20 setup is undergoing a subtle but seismic mindset shift — and it’s not down to Rohit Sharma. Captain Suryakumar Yadav has publicly credited head coach Gautam Gambhir with changing how this Indian side approaches cricket, shifting the emphasis from individual milestones to collective purpose as they gear up to defend their T20 World Cup crown.

Historically, players have been guilty of chasing personal numbers in high-pressure moments — a fifty here, a century there — sometimes at the cost of the team’s tempo.

That thinking, Suryakumar Yadav says, has been actively discouraged since Gambhir’s arrival. The core message from the leadership group is simple and direct: “play as a team, play fearless cricket, and give your best without worrying about personal achievements.” That, the skipper believes, has become “Indian mentality now.”

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The change is visible in the field. Suryakumar pointed to Ishan Kishan’s approach as a perfect example — choosing to finish a match emphatically rather than tempering aggression to reach a personal milestone.

“Since Gautam Gambhir has come in, we have moved away from personal milestones. We want to play it as a team game. Play fearless cricket and give our best out there. It’s Indian mentality now,” he told the ICC T20 World Cup Captain’s Press Conference.

This renewed clarity has translated into results and a looser dressing-room vibe. Suryakumar Yadav highlights the balance between intent and atmosphere: the players are encouraged to play with freedom while enjoying each other’s company off the field — movies, dinners and team time that build chemistry.

“It’s the same dressing room. It’s been a wonderful journey. He has infused that habit of keeping your personal goals aside,” he said, capturing the blend of discipline and camaraderie Gambhir has introduced.

Another tactical shift is how India now treats big tournaments. Gone are the days when the team played cautiously in ICC events and more expansively in bilateral series. For the past 12 months, Suryakumar Yadav says, India has applied the same aggressive mindset across formats, allowing players to stay calm and confident under pressure.

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“We have been playing a good brand of cricket. We played bilateral and ICC events with a different mindset earlier. But for the last 12 months, we have tried to play with the same mindset,” he added.

With the T20 World Cup 2026 opener against the USA at Wankhede Stadium looming on February 7, India’s new identity feels battle-ready: fearless, unified and purpose-driven. If Gambhir’s influence continues to recalibrate priorities from personal glory to shared goals, India could be entering the tournament not just as favourites but as a more cohesive, resilient unit — one that understands winning together matters far more than individual records.