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If you're good...: Gambhir gives sneak peek into no-nonsense approach, shares first message as India coach

If you're good...: Gambhir gives sneak peek into no-nonsense approach, shares first message as India coach

'If you're good...': Gautam Gambhir shares first message as India head coach.

Gautam Gambhir shared a clear and bold message for Team India after his appointment as head coach. The former Indian opener stressed onthe importance of playing allthree formats with a focus on injury and workload management. Hemade it clear thatplayers would need to do the right thing in the best interest of the team. On Tuesday (Jul9), BCCI named Gambhir as Rahul Dravid's successor, who signed off with India's T20 World Cup win last month.

'You should be playing all the three formats'

In a video posted by Star Sports, Gambhir said, "Injuries are part of sportsmen's life. And if you are playing all the three formats, you getinjured, you go back and get recovered but you should be playing all the three formats. I am not a big believer to identify people that okay we are going to keep him for Test matches and we are going to keep him and we are going to manage his injury and workload and stuff."

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He further opined, "Look professional cricketers, you got a very small span. When you are playing for your country you want to play as much as you can. When you are in very good form, go ahead and play all the three formats."

'There's only one message to try and play with honesty'

Gambhir pointed out, "There's only one message to try and play with honesty. Try and be as honest as you can to a profession. All the results will follow. When I picked up the bat, I never thought of the results. I never thought that I'm going to. I want to score these many runs. I've always believed that I have to be as honest as I can to my profession. Live on certain principles, live on certain values, try and do the right things, and try and do things, even if you think the whole world is against you. But your heart believes that you're doing the right thing for the best interest of team."

He added, "Whether I've been aggressive on the cricket field, whether I've had confrontations with people, just because it was all in the best interest of the team. Try and do that because, ultimately, it's the team that matters, not an individual. So go out there and only think of one thing to try and make your team win whichever team you play for. Because that is what team sports demand. It is not an individual sport where you think about your own self. It is a team sport where it is the team that comes first, you're probably the last one that comes in the entire line up."

Gambhir will take over with the commencement of India's white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, starting on July 27. India will play three T20Is and ODIs each in the Island nation before they return home for their upcoming home season.

Under Gambhir, who has been appointed till 2027 ODI World Cup, India will look to add to their ICC titles. They are set to compete in, at least, two WTC finals and play both the World Cups once. In addition, the Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held, in Pakistan, early next year.