It is not an easy task to be the coach of the Indian cricket team: Kyle Mills

India coach Gautam Gambhir (left) chats with captain Shubman Gill. (AP photo) Wellington: Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India have undergone a massive transition in Test cricket but continue to enjoy some stability in the ODI format. The presence of senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer has kept skipper Shubman Gill’s core intact as the team cements its World Cup 2027 plans with the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand.In an exclusive interview with TOI, former New Zealand bowler Kyle Mills opens up about coach Gambhir and scouting his team, the changing landscape of New Zealand cricket and the reasons behind their recent dominance.ExcerptsHow do you think India is progressing under Gautam Gambhir?He (Gambhir) has always been a tough competitor on the field, no debate. There were no jokes at all, because he always meant it on the field. After retirement, he entered politics and became a leader. A great tactician, a great player, very professional in all aspects of the game and also a hard taskmaster. He’s a tough guy.Do you think the review is fair when the results go wrong?In fact, I can’t think of another sports team that faces as much scrutiny as the Indian cricket team, across all sports. Obviously, Manchester United have had their problems in recent years and you have these big teams like the New York Yankees and the All Blacks all over the world, but the Indian cricket team is certainly under scrutiny and Gambhir is the leader in that. So it is not an easy task to be the coach of the Indian cricket team, but he always has that bit between his teeth and is a tough customer.Last dance for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on New Zealand soil. Are you excited to see them in action?It will be a pleasure to have them here because they are two great cricketers and Rohit Sharma is always a cricketer that you really enjoy watching. I think it is a term that is often used about Rohit that he has more time than others, but the reality is that he has as much time as everyone else, but it just makes it look easy. I would love to see them here in red ball cricket as well.India is now entering the era of Shubman Gill. What was your first impression?I think he is a beautiful player. It has all the punches. He is a very charismatic guy. Sports is a fun game. You never own a shirt. You never own a cap. There are always people passing by. You are thinking of Sachin Tendulkar. Go back to Gavaskar (Sunil), Kapil Dev. Then you go to the likes of Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar. Everyone just travels with this team and then there was Virat and Rohit and now it’s their turn and now we’re in a new generation and that’s the beauty of the sport.And IPL continues to ensure a seamless transition…The IPL has done wonders, absolute wonders for the game in India, especially white ball cricket. You not only have your star Indian players but also your second, third, fourth and probably fifth players who are exposed to international cricketers in the IPL, so it takes their development forward. We don’t have that here in New Zealand, so it’s a real advantage for India.Over the past decade, New Zealand have been a consistent force across formats. What has really changed since your playing days?I think it needs to be pointed out that New Zealand cricket teams are very good now compared to where they used to be. If you look at the 1980s, we had Sir Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe who effectively took this team through a decade of cricket. A somewhat poor period of New Zealand cricket history through the 1990s. But without a doubt, they’ve been a very good New Zealand cricket team over the last 15 years and I think they’ve been consistent in that too, across formats.Has there also been a massive infrastructure upgrade?Our facilities here in New Zealand are much better than they were. You couldn’t even describe it. So the guys now have a great background, a great working environment. Through the contract system we have in New Zealand, it’s a real pathway to a career as a cricketer here in New Zealand. Now being a cricketer here in New Zealand is a real career choice. So I think that really adds to the depth of New Zealand cricket. We have players competing for places. Obviously, we’ve had players like Kane Williamson, who was a great cricketer, and we’ve had Tim Southee and Trent Boult, who have all retired recently, but we’ve definitely got a new wave that’s come through.Rachin Ravindra is a beautiful player, Tom Latham is a seasoned international cricketer with good all-round skills and our bowling group is also really effective. We need them to stay together and in the park. There’s really good depth in the ground now, which has contributed a bit to why we’ve had good results…