(BCCI Photo)
Gautam Gambhir has firmly advised today’s Indian cricketers following his appointment as head coach: Those who possess the skill and current form should embrace the challenge of playing across all three formats.
Gambhir is adamant that restricting oneself to just one or two formats due to fitness apprehensions isn’t the mindset he encourages. According to the former India captain, if a player has the ability to excel in all formats of the game, concerns over potential injuries should not deter them.
Earlier this week, Gambhir took over as head coach, succeeding Rahul Dravid, who concluded his successful stint with a triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
“I am a very strong believer in one thing, that if you are good, you should be playing all the three formats,” Gambhir said in a video on Star Sports. “I have never been a big believer of injury management. You got injured, you go and recover. As simple as it gets.”
“You are playing international cricket, and you are good enough, you ask any of the top players, they want to play all the three formats. They don’t want to be labelled as red-ball bowlers or white-ball bowlers,” he added.
Top India players, including Hardik Pandya recovering from back surgery, are strategically rested amid a rigorous cricket schedule. Gambhir emphasizes that injuries are part of a cricketer’s journey and advocates for swift recovery to maximize national team appearances.
“Injuries are part of sportsmen’s life. And if you are playing all the three formats, you get injured, you go back and get recovered but you should be playing all the three formats. I am not a big believer to identify people that ‘okay we are going to keep him for Test matches’ and we are going to manage his injury and workload and stuff,” Gambhir said.
“Look, professional cricketers, you got a very small span. When you are playing for your country you want to play as much as you can. When you are in very good form, go ahead and play all the three formats,” he added.
