Following the T20I win, India will hope to get the same result in the ODI series against the Lankans
The Gautam Gambhir era in the Indian men’s cricket team has started with a bang. Last night India won the third T20I match against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in a thrilling super over. After Gambhir was appointed as the new coach for the men’s team, his approach to the team has been unique compared to any other previous Indian coaches.
We have seen his approach starting from the selection of the players and pushing the player beyond their limitations. As a result, it has been a successful whitewash T20I series win. From August the ODI series against Sri Lanka is going to start and with the new team selection, we can hope that India will continue the winning streak.
In the following paragraphs, we will discuss how the new Indian coach is setting a new era for the men's team.
In the dramatic finale against Sri Lanka we saw Rinku Singh make a significant contribution with the bowl as he was unable to perform with the bat. In the 19th over of the chase Sri Lanka was engaged to score 133 runs, Rinku sent back Kusal Perera batting at 46 with a sharp caught and bowled. Perera miscalculated a pull and the top edge was taken by Rinku. Rinku's bowling figures was 2/3 in just one over and his other wicket was Ramesh Mendis. The newly appointed T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav's two wickets in the final over ensured that the match ended in a tie by defending 6 runs. It was a surprising performance by these part-time spinners which proved that India somehow managed to find a way to excel when it really mattered.
11 batters, 11 bowlers, 1 team: GG ERA🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/IuPLZFczwK
— Ujjawal kumar (@sonuujjawal26) July 30, 2024
Gambhir’s selection strategy leaned towards the all-rounder starting from Riyan Parag to Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar. Sundar proved his worth and had played a key role in the deciding Super Over in the final T20I against Sri Lanka. He took two crucial wickets of Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka. Though the over started with a wide and he conceded a single run at the end. Despite Sri Lanka's effort to chase the 2 runs required in the Super Over, they misfielded a shot from Suryakumar Yadav, which went for four runs, sealed the win.
Game-changing batting ✅
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 30, 2024
Game-changing bowling ✅@surya_14kumar bhau mann la 👏🙇♂️#SonySportsNetwork #SLvIND #TeamIndia #SuryakumarYadav pic.twitter.com/5G3PESMVY9
2016 IPL match on May 14, 2016, that Kolkata Knight Riders' former captain Gautam Gambhir did something out of the box with his field placement against Mahendra Singh Dhoni. What gave the eyeballs was Gambhir setting an attacking field with a silly point, two slips, and a short leg in place when Dhoni entered with Rising Pune Supergiants at 74 for four in 10.3 overs. It was a bold tactic, particularly as leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was getting a lot of sharp turns.
Picture Courtesy-- India.com
That was not the first time Gambhir tried this strategy. When Dhoni was at the crease in Pune, Gambhir had also stationed a slip, leg slip and silly point. Though this approach highlighted Gambhir's inventive thinking, it also set off debate across the spectrum of fans, some of whom considered his tactics to be overly aggressive or even arrogant. Given how Yadav went to bowl the last over, it won’t be long before Gambhir’s Indian side pulls off a stunt similar to how KKR did.
Gambhir's first approach as coach was controversial from the beginning. In the T20I world cup, the star allrounder Hardik Pandya played exceptionally and was set to take over the captaincy for the Sri Lanka series. However, Suryakumar Yadav was appointed the new T20 captain and Shubman Gill as vice captain. Sky proved his worth and clinched the T20 trophy in Sri Lanka.
