India's head coach explains that his relationship with captain Rohit Sharma is rooted in their shared playing history, not a newly formed coach-captain dynamic.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has addressed questions about his working relationship with former India captain Rohit Sharma, emphasising that their bond extends well beyond the conventional coach-captain dynamic. The 44-year-old head coach spoke ahead of India's three-match ODI series against the West Indies, during which Rohit and Virat Kohli are returning to the squad after a two-month break.
The head coach stressed that their relationship was not newly formed when he took the coaching role, nor was it one between unfamiliar parties. Gambhir and Rohit share a playing history that created a foundation of mutual understanding before any coaching appointment came into the picture.
"I don’t think so. See, Rohit’s and my relationship wasn’t just of captain and coach. Rohit’s and my relationship, when Rohit came into the team, I was a senior player at that time. So Rohit’s and my relationship is from back then. Rohit knew me since then. It is not like Rohit and I had a new relationship, or that I came as a coach from a foreign country who has neither seen Rohit play, nor knows Rohit individually or personally, what kind of person he is," Gambhir said on JioStar.
Shared playing history aids decision-making
The shared playing history between Gambhir and Rohit has created a foundation that simplifies decision-making processes within the team structure. Gambhir explained how their past as teammates contributes to their current working relationship and how this familiarity aids their collaboration on strategic matters.
"So often when you have played together, things become very easy. And in fact, he knows my thinking, I know his thinking. Because tomorrow I might have some other thinking, the captain might have some other thinking, but ultimately, whatever is in the best interest of the team, if that’s the last final decision, then nothing can be better than that," Gambhir added.
Gambhir has worked with four India captains during his tenure as head coach: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav in T20 Internationals, Shubman Gill in ODIs and Tests, and Shreyas Iyer. Despite the different personalities and leadership styles each captain brings to their respective roles, Gambhir identified a common thread that binds all four together.
"And that’s why I said that with all four, whichever four captains I have worked with, this has been my experience with them, that everyone’s intention has been Indian cricket," Gambhir concluded.