T20 WC 2026: Irfan Pathan Applauds Gautam Gambhir After Title Win

Retired Team India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has come out with glowing praise for head coach Gautam Gambhir. Pathan praised Gambhir for his handling of the team despite early criticisms of his management approach.

The former cricketer’s comments came after India secured their record-setting third T20 World Cup title on March 8, 2026. India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in Ahmedabad to clinch back-to-back IPL titles for the first time ever:

“Gautam Gambhir faced a lot of criticism. It was not easy, and at times it even felt unnecessary. But the way he handled himself and kept moving forward with his vision was impressive, even when many things seemed to be going against him. Credit must go to him as well. Of course, the players deserve full credit for the way they played, but managing them, showing strong man-management skills, and bringing the best out of them was equally important,” Pathan said.

Pathan Appreciates Gambhir-SKY Communication During T20 WC 2026

Irfan believes fluid communication between Team India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) and Gambhir eased their eventual success:

“It was often seen that Surya kept communicating with Gautam Gambhir through signals from the field. Even today, during the powerplay when Bumrah had bowled one over, Surya signalled to Gautam about giving him another over. Bumrah eventually bowled two overs in the powerplay. This was not a one-time incident; such communication was seen regularly,” Pathan said.

“So very well done Gautam Gambhir, and very well done Suryakumar Yadav as the leader. The way they managed and guided this team has been outstanding. India has won another trophy and has now become world champion three times. So well done, Team India,” the veteran added.

Pathan Impressed by Gambhir’s Post-Victory Credits, Tags Coach a “Pure Heart”

Irfan also noticed how Gambhir gave credit to several iconic figures within India’s cricket circle after the World Cup win:

“What impressed me the most was how Gautam gave credit to everyone – Ajit Agarkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid. It shows that his heart is very clean,” he added.

“When your heart is pure and your intentions are right, you get the results. Indian cricket has got the result. All of you also prayed for it, there is no doubt about that,” the veteran concluded.

Butcher Applauds Gambhir’s Handling of Team India

Retired English cricketer Mark Butcher hailed Gambhir for his adoption of a selfless approach to the Indian dressing room. Butcher believes Gambhir’s role played major functions in India’s successful T20 WC campaign.

The former cricketer took an overt jab at India’s neighbours Pakistan, as the Men in Green struggle while Gambhir’s lineup achieve cricket glory: 

“There’s quite a stark contrast there in the way that their neighbours in Pakistan are still stuck in the idea of personal milestones and individual superstars. Gautam Gambhir, who’s had his detractors over his time in charge, has basically walked away from that mantra and has built a team,” Butcher said.

India better than Pakistan in team management, Butcher says

The Englishman believes an unhealthy focus on individual talent harmed Pakistan’s campaign as all Indian squad members combined to deliver remarkable results.

“The point is that in order to win a game of T20 cricket, no matter who the star is, whether it’s a bowling team who are brilliant defensively or a bowling team that knocks a team over for 120 and then you chase them down in 10 overs, it’s the whole that gets you the result,”

Team India Full T20 WC 2026 Squad

Batters: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh.

All-rounders: Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar.

Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan.

Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.

Team India Road to T20 WC 2026 Title