‘Gautam Gambhir is a tough taskmaster who defines the process’ - Bharat Arun praises Indian head coach’s method

Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun said that current head coach Gautam Gambhir believes in clearly assigning duties and responsibilities, while empowering individuals to get things right. The duo previously worked together in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) set-up when Gambhir was appointed mentor for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.

Arun opined that Gambhir’s success as a T20 coach stems from the freedom he offers players. Gambhir took over as India’s head coach after Rahul Dravid stepped down following the 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. While the Men in Blue have faced challenges in the longer formats under his tenure, they have reached new heights in T20 internationals.

"He gives you that freedom to express yourself. With Gambhir, my experience is that what you see is what you get. He is a tough task master, but he defines the process, and it is up to you to find ways to get those processes right. I think because of the experience of the Indian team, and their experience in the IPL, we have become a formidable T20 team," Bharat Arun told RevSportz.

Arun attributed India’s recent success in T20 internationals to the Indian Premier League, stating that it provides an environment in which players can develop rapidly. Since the previous edition of the T20 World Cup, India have emerged as a dominant force, winning eight consecutive T20I bilateral series and clinching the 2025 Asia Cup title.

"I have seen all the leagues around the world, and I would definitely say that the IPL is the highest standard. It is close to international cricket, to have 10 teams, where any team can win. If you play in a format like this, along with the greats of the game, and when you perform in this league, you know you have arrived," said Arun.

Arun remarked that the Indian team has no choice but to practise across all three departments with a wet ball and get accustomed to the conditions. India opted to bat first in each of their last two matches despite the expectation of dew in the second innings. While the bowlers have done a decent job handling the wet ball so far, they conceded over 200 runs in the fifth T20I against New Zealand and in the warm-up match against South Africa.

"You can prepare for dew. The best thing is to bowl with a wet ball. Some of the batters don't want to bat against a wet ball because most of the bats get spoiled in practice. It is also a challenge for a bowler, and as a bowling unit, they should be practicing with a wet ball. They need to figure out a way to get the grip, so that their bowling does not suffer. That would be a challenge," said Arun.