Gautam Gambhir says his job is not to make everyone happy
The India head coach defended his selection decisions ahead of the fifth T20I against New Zealand.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that his responsibility is to make the right decisions for the team rather than popular ones. According to Times Now, Gambhir made these comments ahead of the fifth T20I against New Zealand, following debates regarding his team selections.
The coach addressed questions about the omission of 15-year-old batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from the playing XI. Sooryavanshi played two matches in the series, including a score of 45 in the third T20I, but was left out for the final match as India opted to stick with an established batting combination.
Gambhir noted that while social media creates chatter, he prioritises making decisions that favour the team and ensure security in the dressing room. He said that players who have performed well over a longer period deserve a longer rope.
The head coach also praised the players for adapting to conditions in New Zealand despite a short turnaround after the West Indies series. He noted that the team finished their previous series on the 17th and flew on the 18th.
India has already won the series, holding a 3-1 lead. The playing XI for the final T20I includes Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, and Varun Chakaravarthy.