India’s young T20 opener Abhishek Sharma lauded Gautam Gambhir’s coaching style after an impressive seven-wicket victory against England at Eden Gardens. The 24-year-old smashed a stunning 79 off 34 balls to help India chase down a modest 133-run target in just 12.5 overs.
Addressing the post-match presentation, Abhishek credited the supportive atmosphere created by Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav.
“The freedom given to youngsters is tremendous. I’ve never experienced a dressing room environment like this—where you’re encouraged to express yourself from the very first ball,” he said.
This support for Gambhir comes amid ongoing debates about his coaching effectiveness in traditional formats, especially after speculation about a lack of alignment with senior players during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, for emerging stars like Abhishek, the “express yourself” culture appears to be a game-changer.
Simplicity in Strategy Leads to Success
Abhishek revealed his straightforward strategy for the game: replicating his IPL approach. “I focused on playing the way I do in IPL,” said the Sunrisers Hyderabad player. He effectively countered England’s pace attack, using the crease cleverly to deal with short deliveries from Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. “I prepared my trigger movements knowing they’d test my patience with short balls. Thankfully, my execution was spot on,” he added.
Despite the pitch being slightly tricky due to its double-paced nature, Abhishek praised India’s bowlers for restricting England to a modest total, expecting a more challenging target of 160-170. He also highlighted his growing partnership with Sanju Samson, emphasizing their clear communication and mutual trust during batting.
Captains on Team Strategies and Conditions
India captain Suryakumar Yadav emphasized the team’s proactive mindset after winning the toss. “We’ve embraced a new style, giving players freedom and focusing on execution. Our bowlers had plans, and our batting finished things off perfectly,” he stated, adding that the team’s preparation was evident in South Africa too.
England captain Jos Buttler, meanwhile, reflected on their aggressive “Bazball” philosophy introduced by coach Brendon McCullum. “We want to be aggressive and enjoyable to watch, but we must adapt to conditions. It’s a learning curve,” he said.
While commending the performances of Archer and Wood, Buttler admitted they were caught off-guard by the wicket’s early challenges but remained optimistic about improvements in the next games.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
