‘Stop celebrating milestones. Celebrate trophies’: Gautam Gambhir stays bullish after India’s T20 World Cup encore

The Indian white-ball side has flourished under Gautam Gambhir, winning three multi-nation tournaments

Updated on: Mar 9, 2026, 06:03:38 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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India head coach Gautam Gambhir once again set the tone for the team’s philosophy after guiding the hosts to their second successive ICC white-ball trophy, insisting that the dressing room values team success over individual milestones.

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad (PTI)

India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday to become the first side in history to successfully defend the T20 World Cup, win the title on home soil, and claim a third crown after their triumphs in 2007 and 2024.

Speaking to the media in Ahmedabad, Gambhir said the focus within the team had firmly shifted from celebrating personal landmarks to winning trophies.

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill can't keep calm as India reach top of the world by defending T20 World Cup title

“We have celebrated milestones a lot in the past. Milestones don’t matter — trophies do,” Gambhir said.

“We should stop celebrating milestones and start celebrating trophies. That is what defines a team.”

Gambhir’s tenure has not been without scrutiny. The former India opener faced criticism over his role after India were blanked by South Africa in a home Test series last year. However, the white-ball side has flourished under him, winning three multi-nation tournaments — the 2025 Champions Trophy, the 2025 Asia Cup and now the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Addressing criticism on social media, Gambhir said his accountability lies only with those inside the dressing room.

“My accountability is not to people on social media,” he said.

“My accountability is to those 30 people in that dressing room. A coach is only as good as his team. The players made me the coach I am.”

Gambhir also acknowledged the support he received during difficult phases of his tenure, crediting chief selector Ajit Agarkar and current ICC chairman Jay Shah for standing by him.

“Ajit Agarkar took a lot of flak but continued to work with complete honesty,” Gambhir said.

“And Jay bhai — during my lowest phase as head coach, after losing to New Zealand and then South Africa in home Test series — he called me and backed me.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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