Gautam Gambhir: 'My job is to win trophies, not views and likes'
On August 22, 2026, India head coach Gautam Gambhir told reporters ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo that his focus is on winning trophies rather than pursuing popularity. "My job is to win trophies, not views and likes. That's all what I care for," Gambhir said, adding he will not let rankings or external criticism drive team decisions.
India are in the midst of a Test-team transition after the departures of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, and Gambhir said the new group require time to establish themselves. Shubman Gill has taken over the captaincy while Devdutt Padikkal is settling into the No.3 role and Manav Suthar has emerged as a spin option. India lead the two-Test series 1-0 following a 165-run win in Galle, leaving Gambhir looking for continued signs of progress rather than swift judgement on the change of personnel.
Gambhir described his selection and assessment philosophy as long-term rather than reactive, saying: "Rankings do not matter. We are not struggling. Since the England tour, we have played reasonable Test cricket," he said. He warned against making changes based on isolated matches and urged patience, arguing the squad should be evaluated over a period rather than after every result. That viewpoint informed his comments on giving players a "longer rope" during this rebuilding phase: "There will be ups and downs in cricket, and we need to back our players and give them longer rope, and it's not based on one or two matches," he said.
Individual performances from the Sri Lanka tour have underlined Gambhir's desire to back newcomers, with Manav Suthar taking 10 wickets in Galle in only his second Test. Gambhir singled out Suthar's impact while stressing that the core needs time to develop in international conditions rather than being judged by immediate outcomes. The coach framed these results as part of the process of assembling a side that can win decisive matches.
Selection for the Colombo Test could reflect that process, particularly among spin options where Kuldeep Yadav and Saransh Jain are competing for a place. Gambhir kept the emphasis on picking the side most capable of taking 20 wickets, saying: "We will try to field the best bowling attack that can get us 20 wickets. Kuldeep is a good bowler and sometimes it's up to the captain as well," Gambhir said. He indicated captaincy input would be a factor in final combinations rather than public debate determining selections.
Gambhir also outlined his preference for longer series formats while addressing the current two-Test schedule, arguing three Tests allow more scope to recover from an opening loss. "Three-Test series is ideal. Short turnaround is fine, we know how to manage our bodies and recover. We give optional practices and rest bowlers. I feel three Test series is ideal," he said, and he added: "Ideally I would want a 3 match Test series. Sometimes, if you lose the first Test, the other team cannot make a comeback and the maximum they can try for a draw..."
On conditions, Gambhir described the Galle surface positively and expressed hope for a similar contest in Colombo. "Galle was a good Test cricket pitch and we enjoyed playing there and hopefully the pitch remains same here. It was not a perfect Test match but that's how Test matches are played," he said.
The Colombo Test will decide the two-match series, with India holding a 1-0 lead following the victory in Galle; Gambhir framed the match as another chance for the emerging core to demonstrate the trajectory he wants the team to follow.