The Gautam Gambhir-Shreyas Iyer equation: built on trust, clarity and the will to win

Shreyas Iyer knows Gautam Gambhir well. Enough, in fact, to understand how his mind works.

The two have shared a dressing room in different capacities and at different stages of their careers. Now with Gambhir as India’s head coach, Iyer believes the familiarity could prove valuable as they look to rebuild a successful partnership.

Speaking about his equation with Gambhir ahead of the opening T20I against Afghanistan in New Delhi, Iyer highlighted the Indian coach’s aggressive mindset, his relentless focus on winning and, perhaps most importantly, his ability to build confidence in the team.

“I think he has a very aggressive mindset. He is someone who always tries to win when he steps on the field,” Iyer said at the pre-match press conference.

But for Iyer, Gambhir’s approach goes beyond just demanding results. The former India opener, he said, understands the individual players very well and makes them clear about their roles.

“He builds a lot of confidence in the team and every player knows what their role is and is clear about it,” Iyer added.

This player management ability is something Iyer finds especially important in a tournament environment where coaches have to deal with players with different personalities, strengths and expectations.

“He has an amazing approach to managing players one-on-one. That’s crucial in a tournament when you have that kind of relationship with each player because each one of us is different in our own way and you have to understand each player,” Iyer said.

The comments offer insight into a relationship that spans several years and has evolved across teams and roles.

RELATIONSHIP OVER THE YEARS

Iyer and Gambhir’s first significant chapter together came with Delhi Daredevils in 2018, when Gambhir was the captain and Iyer was a young player emerging in the IPL.

It was Gambhir who took the unusual decision to step down as captain mid-season and back Iyer as his successor.

“I feel it is time to step down and I have announced Shreyas Iyer as the next captain. I think that is the way forward for the franchise,” Gambhir said then.

It was more than just a change of captain. It was a public display of faith in Iyer’s leadership skills at a relatively early stage in his career.

Iyer has since established himself as a leader in the IPL while being associated with Gambhir went on to Kolkata Knight Riders.

Their roles were different at the time. Gambhir moved into a more prominent mentoring and coaching role, while Iyer was an established captain and senior player. This experience gave Iyer another opportunity to understand Gambhir’s methods from a different perspective.

Now their paths have crossed again in an Indian setup.

‘I KNOW HOW HIS MIND WORKS’

Iyer believes that already working with Gambhir can help both of them navigate the demands of the current environment.

“Both Gauti bhai and I have been in this scenario where we need to know the players, how they can be for the team,” he said.

There is also an understanding that such a relationship develops over time. The more they work together, the more they learn about each other’s methods and expectations.

“The more games we win, the more we will get to know each other,” Iyer said.

However, there is already a solid foundation for Iyer. Having worked with Gambhir in the past, he believes he understands the mindset behind the aggression and intensity the coach brings.

“I have worked with him at KKR in the past so I definitely know how his mind works and what his approach will be.”

This knowledge could be significant as India go through the demands of the T20I tournament. Gambhir knows Iyer’s abilities while Iyer understands what his coach expects from the players around him.

It’s a partnership that has already gone through several iterations: from captain and young player in Delhi to coach and established leader in KKR and now in a new chapter with India.

The roles may have changed along the way, but the basic understanding between them remains intact.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

12 Sep 2026 18:31 IST