The India National Cricket Team is going through a mindset shift, and this change is not because of Rohit Sharma. Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav has credited head coach Gautam Gambhir for changing the team’s mentality on the field.
Suryakumar Yadav hails Gautam Gambhir’s impact
Earlier, many players used to think about their personal numbers, landmarks, and individual records during matches, sometimes even more than the match situation. But now, that mindset has changed.
Suryakumar revealed that since Gautam Gambhir joined the Indian team, the focus has moved away from personal records and milestones. The captain said that the leadership group’s message is simple: play as a team, play fearless cricket, and give your best without worrying about personal achievements.
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Personal milestones no longer the priority
The captain feels this mindset has helped Indian cricket move in the right direction, as the team now plays with one clear aim, which is to win together. And the results are amazing, as they have not lost a single T20I series under Gautam Gambhir so far.
Suryakumar Yadav said at the ICC T20 World Cup Captain’s Press Conference: “Since Gautam Gambhir has come in, we have moved away from personal milestones. We want to play it as a team game. Play fearless cricket and give our best out there. It’s Indian mentality now.”
This change is visible on the field, as Suryakumar mentioned how Ishan Kishan finished the final T20I game against New Zealand with a big shot instead of slowing down to reach his hundred.
‘Gautam Gambhir has infused that habit of keeping your personal goals aside’
Even with this strong team-first approach, the Indian dressing room atmosphere is very relaxed and happy, with the skipper sharing that the players enjoy being together, going out for movies, having dinners, and spending time as a group.
Suryakumar added, “It’s the same dressing room. It’s been a wonderful journey. He has infused that habit of keeping your personal goals aside, like we saw when Ishan Kishan hit a six to get to his 100 in the last game. The dressing room environment is very light, going out for movies and dinners.”
Suryakumar says India ready for T20 World Cup 2026
Speaking about India’s approach to ICC tournaments, the right-handed batter said that the team has stopped treating big events differently from regular bilateral series. Earlier, the Indian team often looked confident in bilateral series but played cautious cricket in ICC events.
But this approach is now changed, and Suryakumar mentioned that this consistent approach over the last year has helped players stay calm and confident under pressure, and now they are better prepared to defend their T20 World Cup title.
Suryakumar Yadav on India’s mentality in ICC events: “We have been playing a good brand of cricket. We played bilateral and ICC events with a different mindset earlier. But for the last 12 months, we have tried to play with the same mindset.”
Notably, India will kick off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against the USA on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
