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According to former Sri Lankan allrounder Russel Arnold, India is expected to become notably more competitive under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir, who recently assumed the role of India’s head coach following Rahul Dravid’s decision to step down, faces his initial challenge with the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka on their home turf.
The Indian team is undergoing a transition phase with the retirements of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja from the T20 format. In light of this, Gambhir shoulders the responsibility of nurturing a fresh crop of players to gear up for the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2026.
Russel Arnold comments on Gautam Gambhir’s coaching approach.
Renowned commentator Russel Arnold expressed his belief that India would see a heightened level of fierceness and competitiveness under the coaching of Gautam Gambhir. Speaking during a conversation with Sports Tak, organized by Sony Sports Network, the official broadcaster for the Sri Lanka-India series, Russel cautioned that coaching differs significantly from playing, emphasizing that coaches do not have direct control over events as players do.
“I think they’ll be fierce. I think they’ll be competitive. And Gautam Gambhir, we’ve seen him in the franchises. He was a very good player and competed well when he played. But it’s sometimes very difficult to translate that into coaching because you can’t do it. It’s kind of out of your control. You’re managing players and trying to get things done,” Russel Arnold said.
The former Sri Lankan player noted that Gambhir has proven successful in coaching roles previously, suggesting this experience will benefit Team India. He further remarked that while Gambhir’s coaching style may differ from Dravid’s, occasional changes can rejuvenate a team and keep players motivated and alert.
“But he’s shown that he can do that with any franchise that he’s been involved with, the results have been good. They’ve been playing some tremendous cricket and going on to win trophies. So he’s the winner. That will reflect in how these players play,” Arnold stated.
“Yes, it will be slightly different from how Rahul Dravid managed it, but in the inner system, it’s good. Change is good. And that’ll keep players on their toes and also remind them that they have to keep up, skidding and getting better all the time if they want to be a part of it,” he added.
Gautam Gambhir has taken on the role of head coach, with Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate joining as assistant coaches. Nayar accompanied the team from Mumbai, while Ryan ten Doeschate joined them directly in Sri Lanka.
Sairaj Bahutule has temporarily assumed the role of bowling coach for the Sri Lanka tour. The complete composition of India’s coaching staff is still pending and will be finalized after the upcoming series. India’s tour of Sri Lanka commences on July 27 and concludes on August 7 with the final match of the three-match ODI series.
