"Thought That Was A Dig At Rohit, Kohli": Gautam Gambhir's Remarks Stun England Great

With adrenaline from winning the T20 World Cup 2026 coursing through his veins, India head coach Gautam Gambhir made bold remarks in his post-match media interaction. Known for his outspoken nature, Gambhir praised his team for embracing the philosophy of "putting the team first" ahead of individual milestones. He was particularly impressed with Sanju Samson, who was dismissed in the late 80s or 90s three times during the tournament, always prioritising the team's interests over personal glory.

Seeing Gambhir laud that mentality, England legend Steve Harmison offered a stirring take, suggesting the comments were a subtle dig at veteran Indian batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

"I enjoyed that from Gambhir. I thought it was a dig at Rohit and Virat, talking about not being interested in milestones and only about the team winning. I sometimes struggle with Gautam as a player and a coach. But I liked that little dig at Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli," Harmison said on the talkSport Cricket.

Neither Kohli nor Rohit is active in T20Is, but both continue to play ODIs for India under Gambhir's coaching. Harmison believes it will be intriguing to see how the dressing-room dynamic unfolds when the veterans return for upcoming one-day assignments.

"It'll be interesting when they walk back into the 50-over dressing room in the not-too-distant future, hearing that. He has got some kudos now because he has just won a trophy," Harmison added.

What Gautam Gambhir Said in the Press Conference

Gambhir argued that a player batting on 97 or 98 should still look to hit a six if the team's momentum demands it, rather than slowing down to secure a personal hundred. His reasoning was that those two or three deliveries spent "playing safe" could be the difference between a winning total and a par score.

"Imagine if you had been playing for a milestone, probably we wouldn't have got 250. You can see it in the last three games, what Sanju did - 97 not out, 89, 88. If a player is batting on 97 and he takes three singles to reach a hundred, he's playing for himself. I'd rather see a player try to hit a six and get out on 97 if that's what the team needs at that moment. Stop celebrating milestones, celebrate trophies."

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Gautam Gambhir Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma Stephen Harmison T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket