We want to play high-risk, high-reward cricket in T20s: Gambhir

Mumbai, Feb 3 (PTI) – India head coach Gautam Gambhir has outlined an aggressive new vision for the national T20 side, emphasizing a "high-risk, high-reward" approach. The goal, he stated, is to consistently post scores of 250-260, even if it means occasional collapses.

The strategy was evident in India's dominant 4-1 series win against England, culminating in a commanding 247/9 in the final match at Mumbai. Even in the fourth T20I at Pune, India pressed forward aggressively despite losing wickets, setting a competitive 181/9 to clinch the game.

"No Fear of Losing": Gambhir on India's New Approach​

Speaking to the host broadcaster post-match, Gambhir reinforced India's intent to push boundaries in the shortest format.

"That's the kind of T20 cricket we want to play. We don't fear losing a game. We want to play high-risk, high-reward cricket, and the players have embraced this ideology brilliantly," said Gambhir.

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He acknowledged that this aggressive mindset could lead to occasional failures but stressed that it was essential for long-term success.

"We aim to regularly reach 250-260. In trying to do that, there will be games where we might be dismissed for 120-130, but that's the nature of T20 cricket. Unless you play high-risk cricket, you won’t achieve big rewards. Most importantly, we are on the right track, and we will maintain this approach in major tournaments," he added.

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Abhishek Sharma's Explosive 135 Validates the Approach​

Gambhir cited Abhishek Sharma's sensational 135 off 54 balls as a prime example of the team's fearless approach.

"We want to keep backing players like Abhishek Sharma. His knock was one of the best T20 hundreds I've seen, especially against bowlers consistently clocking 140-150 kmph. We need to be patient with these young talents," he said.

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Varun Chakravarthy's Resurgence Earns Praise​

India’s spin spearhead in the series, Varun Chakravarthy, also received special mention from Gambhir. The leg-spinner was the highest wicket-taker, claiming 14 wickets at an average of 9.85 and an economy of 7.66.

"His transformation from IPL to international T20 cricket has been phenomenal. Against a high-quality team like England, on excellent batting wickets, he delivered in crucial moments. This series was a benchmark for him," Gambhir remarked.

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Dressing Room Rifts? Winning Fixes Everything, Says Gambhir​

Addressing speculations of internal discord after India’s disappointing Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign against Australia, Gambhir dismissed any concerns.

"These players have played a lot of cricket together. When results go your way, everything falls into place. They know what it means to represent 140-150 crore Indians," he asserted.

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On Harshit Rana's Concussion Sub Controversy​

Gambhir also made a light-hearted remark on the Harshit Rana concussion substitute controversy, where Rana replaced Shivam Dube in the previous game at Pune.

"He (Dube) bowled four overs today," he said with a smile, downplaying any controversy.

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With an emphatic series win over England and a bold new strategy in place, India appears to be shaping up for a fearless brand of T20 cricket as they eye future global tournaments.