Hamilton [New Zealand], November 1 : India head coach Gautam Gambhir said fear has no place in his approach to the game and stressed that the team would continue to follow its high-risk, high-reward brand of cricket, regardless of the conditions or the possibility of defeats, after India clinched the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 3-2.
Speaking at the post-match press conference after India's seven-wicket defeat in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park on Sunday, Gambhir said the team's ability to adapt to conditions, handle pressure and display ruthlessness in the first three matches was its biggest achievement in the series.
Asked whether he felt concerned about having just one practice session before heading into a series, Gambhir said he did not believe in making excuses and that the team's responsibility was to deliver results in every situation.
“I don't feel scared of anything. In my dictionary, directory, or ideology, fear has no place; that word does not exist in my life. We are professionals, and I've always believed there are no excuses. Whatever situation is handed to us, we will try to make the absolute best of it and keep delivering results for the country,” Gambhir said.
Reflecting on India's performances in the series, the head coach highlighted the team's successful chases and its ability to overcome challenging situations, including winning the opening match despite limited preparation time.
“Apart from winning, the biggest achievement is how the boys handled the conditions and how ruthless they were in the first three games. Chasing 220 when we were down and out, three young players took us across the line; then chasing 199 in 14 overs; and winning game one after just one practice session. That defines ruthlessness,” he said.
Gambhir added that while India wanted to win the remaining two matches as well, the team's approach to handling pressure and adapting to conditions remained the key takeaway from the series.
Addressing questions about his individual conversations with batters and bowlers during practice sessions, Gambhir said his responsibility was to prepare players in the best possible manner and share his experience of playing in New Zealand.
He also defended India's aggressive style of cricket, saying the team's philosophy would not change despite the possibility of one-sided defeats.
“We have played high-risk, high-reward cricket over the last two to two-and-a-half years. We will lose matches—sometimes one-sided matches—but our philosophy will not change. That philosophy brought us success, and we accept the risks,” Gambhir said.
“You might lose by 100 runs on some days, but on others, you'll chase down 150 in 10 overs. That is the brand of cricket we want to play everywhere, whether in England, Australia, or India,” he added.
On the challenge of communicating selection decisions to talented players who miss out on the playing XI, Gambhir said making the right decision was more important than making a popular one.
“That's my job. I've said it before: my job is to make the right decision, not the popular decision. It's very easy to sit in the dressing room and make popular decisions that people want me to make. But my job is to make the dressing room secure, to give backing and clarity to people who have done well over a long period,” he said.
Acknowledging that such conversations could be difficult, Gambhir emphasised the importance of honesty and transparency in his role as head coach.
“Those conversations as a coach are always tough. All international teams have talent. For me, honesty, being upfront, and being completely transparent are crucial. That is the job of a head coach. As long as I do that, I can look anyone in the eye and answer any question,” he added.
The India head coach also admitted that managing different formats, conditions and player personalities over the past four to five months had left him mentally drained at times. However, he said he was capable of handling the pressure.
“Yes, I have, to be honest. But I am strong enough to manage that. I'm strong enough to take it for as long as I can. That is how I am built: I can take the pressure, I can take the bullet. And yes, I'm a human being, so at times I will feel drained. But so far, I've been able to handle it,” Gambhir said.
Coming to the fifth T20I, New Zealand defeated India by seven wickets in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, chasing down the target of 192 in 17.4 overs to register a consolation victory, while India clinched the five-match series 3-2.
Tim Seifert led the successful chase with a blistering 93 off 50 balls, including 11 fours and five sixes, while Glenn Phillips remained unbeaten on 65 off 38 deliveries, with eight fours and three sixes. The duo added 86 runs for the third wicket to put New Zealand in a commanding position. Phillips also registered his fourth half-century of the series, joining Mohammad Rizwan and S Ravichandran in the list of batters to score four or more 50-plus scores in a bilateral T20I series.
Earlier, India recovered from an early setback at 19/2 through an explosive 93-run partnership between Ishan Kishan and skipper Shreyas Iyer. Kishan scored 61 off 31 balls, while Iyer made 50 off 23 deliveries.
Naman Dhir contributed 33 off 23 balls, and Nitish Kumar Reddy added 22 off 17 deliveries as India posted 191/8 in 20 overs. New Zealand pacer Adam Milne was the standout bowler, taking four wickets for 19 runs, while Blair Tickner and Nathan Smith also picked up wickets. Despite the defeat in the final match, India secured the series 3-2.