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This week marks the inauguration of the Rohit Sharma-Gautam Gambhir era, commencing with the upcoming three-match ODI series between Sri Lanka and India. This partnership follows Rohit Sharma’s previous successful collaboration with Rahul Dravid, who served as coach alongside Rohit as captain since 2021. Over three years, this dynamic duo propelled Indian cricket to unprecedented heights across all formats.
In 2022, India reached the T20 World Cup semifinals, followed by the finals of the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship in 2023. Additionally, they secured victory in the Asia Cup last year. The Dravid-Rohit era concluded triumphantly with a thrilling T20 World Cup win over South Africa, bidding farewell to Dravid with a memorable send-off.
Expectations are high within the Indian cricket community for Rohit and Gambhir to replicate this success. While time will determine the extent of their achievements, signs of a promising partnership are evident. A recent viral video captured a heartwarming moment between the captain and coach in Colombo, as they shared laughter sparked by a fan’s chant, illustrating their camaraderie.
Gautam Gambhir’s perfect start
Gautam Gambhir has kicked off his tenure as Team India’s head coach in impressive fashion. Taking over from Rahul Dravid, Gambhir oversaw a flawless performance as India swept aside Sri Lanka in the three-match T20I series.
Led by new captain Suryakumar Yadav, the defending world champions displayed exceptional poise throughout the series. After dominant victories in the first two T20Is, India secured a dramatic turnaround in the third match, ensuring a clean sweep.
In the opening game, India triumphed by 43 runs, followed by a comprehensive 7-wicket victory (via DLS method) in the second encounter to seal the series with a game to spare. Despite a modest total of 137/9 in the third game, India matched Sri Lanka’s score and comfortably won the Super Over, highlighting their resolve under pressure.
