'Out of runs' - Gautam Gambhir defends star cricketer after lean patch in T20 World Cup 2026
India coach Gautam Gambhir backed Abhishek Sharma during the T20 World Cup despite early failures, saying the opener was “not out of form, just out of runs.”
Gautam Gambhir (Image | BCCI on X)
Last Updated: 12.48 PM, Mar 15, 2026
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has always backed his players who went through a lean patch in any series or tournament. Similarly, after the end of the T20 World Cup 2026, Gambhir backed Abhishek Sharma, who went through a difficult time scoring runs in the tournament. He scored three back-to-back ducks in the marquee event but eventually ended up scoring a half-century in the finals.
Gambhir mentioned about his lean patch in 2014 IPL and then further stated that players are not 'out of form, they are out of runs'. We have heard that before from Suryakumar Yadav as well. He has always mentioned that he is not out of form during press conferences. Gambhir also encouraged Abhishek to be more aggressive in each game.
"I've had a worse experience than him in 2014 during the IPL, when I got three ducks in a row and then another in the fourth game as well. All I told him was that people will look at your scores and will talk about your form, but actually, you are not out of form; you are just out of runs. The only time you can judge your form is when you have played 20 to 30 balls in the middle, and he hasn't even faced 20 balls yet. All I wanted him to do was go out there in the next game and be even more aggressive compared to what he was in the previous game," Gambhir said.
Also read: Suryakumar Yadav reveals dressing room conversation after Ahmedabad call in T20 World Cup 2026
Commit yourself to it 100 per cent: Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir, who has been doing well as a head coach, mentioned that he encourages the players to believe in themselves and only think about what the 30 people in the dressing room would feel rather than thinking about the entire world.
"If you want to hit the first ball out of the ground, go and do it, and commit yourself to it 100 per cent because it really doesn't matter what the world thinks about you. All that matters is what those 30 people in the dressing room think about you, and that is exactly what should matter to all the boys," he added.