India head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav. (NOT a photo) NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir has finally dealt with lingering jokes about his serious expressions in the dugout, saying the pressure of representing India in major tournaments leaves little room for smiles – even in moments of celebration.The Indian head coach was reacting to former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s playful message after India’s 2026 Under-20 World Cup triumph. Dhoni congratulated the team on social media and jokingly told Gambhir that he likes to smile.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!“History is being made in Ahmedabad… a big congratulations to the team and support staff and all the Indian team fans around the world. Coach Sahab’s smile looks great on you, intensity with a smile is a killer combination,” Dhoni wrote in an Instagram post after the win.
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Responding to the news, Gambhir said he appreciated the gesture but explained that the intense pressure during global tournaments makes it difficult for players and staff to express their emotions openly.
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“It’s very difficult to be in a situation where people weren’t. But it’s good that he wrote it,” Gambhir told ANI. “There’s so much at stake when you’re in the trenches. There’s always so much expectation from the Indian team that even if you want to laugh, you can’t laugh, especially in a tournament like the World Cup.”He added that the expectations surrounding Indian cricket are huge and losing, while part of the sport, is often considered unacceptable.“Unfortunately, losing is not an option in India – but it can happen. If losing was not an option, India would have won all the World Cups. But that doesn’t happen,” he said.India’s emphatic 96-run victory over New Zealand in the final sealed a historic title defense, making India the first team to win the T20 World Cup on home soil and the first team to lift the trophy three times.
