Shreyas Iyer Shines as India Win Series Against New Zealand
Hamilton, November 1
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has heaped praise on captain Shreyas Iyer and the entire team after India won the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 3-2. Gambhir said the players deserve credit for their performances during a demanding tour.
India started the series in dominant fashion, going 3-0 up with three consecutive wins. The side then suffered back-to-back defeats, leaving the series open until the final match.
Since the T20 World Cup 2026, India have seldom fielded their first-choice bowlers. The focus has shifted to the ODI World Cup and the WTC Final, which has meant that several frontline bowlers have been rested or unavailable.
The New Zealand tour was missing Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar. Despite a weakened bowling attack, India managed to win the series.
After the fifth T20I was lost by seven wickets, Gambhir turned his attention to Shreyas's captaincy and the team's ability to close out the series.
In a post-match press conference on Sunday, Gambhir said, “When Shreyas took charge, he had a very successful team at his disposal. This was a side that had won the T20 World Cup and had not lost a T20 series in the previous two years. After the World Cup, we faced some tough opposition. Importantly, we also gave several new players a chance. Experience was a concern, particularly when you travel to places like England and New Zealand.”
Gambhir added that the situation was also a learning opportunity. “This is a great chance as well. If you are thinking about building a squad for the next World Cup, you have to give young players a chance and help them develop by playing regularly. Considering the experience we had in the bowling unit during and after the World Cup, this has always been challenging.”
He further said, “I think Shreyas has done a fantastic job, especially since he had very little experience in the bowling department. As a captain, much of your success depends on how your bowlers and batters perform. With an inexperienced bowling attack, I believe he has done superb work.”
Gambhir also praised the squad for adapting quickly, as they had very limited time to prepare. India had concluded a five-match T20I series against the West Indies at home on October 17. The team then began the New Zealand series on October 22 with almost no preparation time.
“It is an incredible effort, because the players had only one day to get ready. They arrived on the 20th and practised on the 21st. The conditions were different, the weather was different and the grounds were of different sizes. Playing a strong team like New Zealand in their own country is very difficult, especially when they have plenty of T20 experience and most of our players were visiting New Zealand for the first time. That is why I feel the players should be very proud of their efforts, particularly since they got almost no time to prepare.”
Gambhir also appreciated the team's aggressive batting approach, which he believes has made India trendsetters in the format. “In India, we concentrate only on results and not on the other aspects. My job is to prepare the players in the best way possible. What information can I share with them? I have played in these conditions myself, and I have also played cricket in New Zealand.”
“That is why I felt it was important to share everything I know with them, keep them mentally strong, and encourage them to play with full aggression. For the past two and a half years, we have played cricket this way, where the risks are high but so are the rewards. Sometimes we will lose matches, and sometimes we will lose one-sided games. We will continue to lose at times, but our philosophy will not change, because the success we have enjoyed over the last two years has come from this approach.”
The coach concluded, “We accept that. You can lose a match by 100 runs, or you can chase 150 in 10 overs. We want to play this kind of cricket, in this style, whether we are in England, Australia or India.”