As India prepares for the upcoming T20 World Cup, captain Suryakumar Yadav has shed light on the influence of head coach Gautam Gambhir, emphasizing the shift in mindset that has been instrumental in the team's recent success. Speaking at a pre-tournament media interaction, Yadav articulated the "Indian mentality" that now permeates the team's approach to T20 cricket.
According to Yadav, a key change has been the consistency in mindset across different types of tournaments. "Earlier, we used to play bilateral series differently than the ICC tournaments, but now, be it an ICC event or the Asia Cup or even a bilateral match, we try to play in the same manner," he explained. This unified approach, he believes, was a major factor in India's triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup. "This is why, when we went to play the 2024 T20 World Cup, it did not feel any different. It felt like we have been playing this way for an entire year," Yadav noted. He further emphasized that the team aims to maintain this consistency in the upcoming World Cup.
Yadav didn't hesitate to credit Gautam Gambhir for driving this cultural shift within the team. Since Gambhir took over as head coach, Yadav believes that the atmosphere he has created in the dressing room is the main thing. Suryakumar lauded Gambhir's role, stating that he consistently prioritizes the team's goals over individual milestones. "The dressing room is the same, only a few boxes have changed, but it has been a wonderful journey since he has taken over," Suryakumar said.
He illustrated this point with an example from a recent match where Ishan Kishan was approaching a century. Instead of focusing solely on reaching his individual milestone, Kishan prioritized the team's objective and completed his century with a six. Suryakumar revealed that Gambhir encourages the batters to play with a lot of freedom. By keeping personal milestones secondary, Gambhir has instilled a team-first mentality that Yadav believes is crucial for success in major tournaments.
India enters the T20 World Cup 2026 as favorites, a status bolstered by their recent 4-1 series win against New Zealand, marking their ninth consecutive T20 bilateral series victory. However, Gambhir faces pressure to deliver another T20 World Cup title, especially after some home defeats in other formats. Despite these pressures, the team's confidence is high, and they are determined to play with the same mindset that brought them success in the previous World Cup.
The defending champions will commence their campaign against the United States at Wankhede Stadium. With a blend of experienced players and fresh talent, India aims to secure a historic third title. Yadav expressed his trust in the new players, stating that they have consistently performed well in franchise cricket and for India, allaying any concerns about filling the shoes of veterans.
As the T20 World Cup 2026 approaches, the Indian team, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav and the guidance of Gautam Gambhir, appears well-prepared and focused on maintaining their consistent approach to achieve success on the global stage.