Gambhir backs Shreyas Iyer’s leadership after fifth T20I against New Zealand

India head coach Gautam Gambhir said on 2026-11-01, after India’s fifth T20I against New Zealand in New Zealand, that he viewed Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy as exceptional despite a modest win-loss record; Gambhir declared, "I think he's done a phenomenal job."

Iyer has captained India in 26 T20Is, recording 14 wins and 10 losses, a return Gambhir acknowledged as limited on paper. The numbers stand in contrast to Suryakumar Yadav’s 40 victories and eight defeats in 52 matches, making comparisons inevitable as Iyer settles into his role as India’s new T20I skipper.

Gambhir urged assessment beyond raw results, praising Iyer’s handling of a largely inexperienced bowling group and saying, "Shreyas has done a fabulous job with so much of inexperience in the bowling line-up." He added, "As a captain, you're only as good as how your bowlers or your batters perform. Especially with an inexperienced attack, I think he's done a phenomenal job."

Iyer assumed leadership after a period in which India had just won the T20 World Cup and completed two years without losing a bilateral series. Transitioning toward fresh combinations has been part of the management’s approach, with younger players being given opportunities at the international level.

That experimentation has shown itself most in the bowling resources available on tour, Gambhir said, noting an attack that has lacked the experience of previous combinations. Against New Zealand, India used younger seamers such as Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav while largely avoiding specialist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, shifting responsibility onto the pace unit and less experienced bowlers.

The five-match series in New Zealand placed additional demands on the side, which Gambhir highlighted: the squad arrived on the 20th and had one practice session the following day, and most players were touring New Zealand for the first time. He praised the team’s early aggression, pointing to the chase of 220—where three young players contributed to the win—and the subsequent pursuit of 199 in 14 overs, saying, "That is what is called ruthlessness."

India lost the final two matches of the series, but Gambhir resisted letting those results eclipse the positives, praising the players’ ability to cope with pressure and unfamiliar conditions. He defended a bold selection and tactical approach, saying, "That high-risk, high-reward approach is something we will accept. It should be effective whether we're playing in England, Australia or India. That is how it's going to be," and added, "The expectations are sky-high. People don't give you that inch because everyone expects you to win each and every game. But some teams have to be realistic as well, especially with younger players coming in."

Gambhir concluded that Iyer’s captaincy should be judged in the context of overseeing an inexperienced attack, backing younger players and guiding India through testing overseas tours, and he stressed the development imperative: "If you start thinking about building for the next World Cup, you've got to give young players the opportunity and try and develop them while being on the road," he said.