-1772419567253.webp)
IND vs WI T20 World Cup 2026: India head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasised the importance of instinct over data-driven analysis and revealed that he asked his players to rely on statistical trends, underscoring his unconventional approach to preparing for opponents.
India batter Sanju Samson led Men in Blue to a record-shattering T20 World Cup chase against Windies as he smashed unbeaten 97* (50) with the help of 12 fours and four sixes at the Eden Gardens in a do-or-die encounter of T20 World Cup Super 8 clash on Sunday.
Gambhir dismissed the notion of India "peaking at the right time", instead underlining the significance of consistent performance in the tournament.
"You've got to win every game that you represent your country. There is nothing like peaking at the right time. It's a short tournament; it's a tournament that comes and goes very quickly. So you've got to try and play your A game every time,” Gambhir said in a post-match press conference.
The head coach underscored that he urges his players to trust their intuitions, eschewing data-driven approaches in favour of intuitive decision-making in a short, fast-paced tournament.
"I don't believe in data, honestly. I've never seen the data. I don't even know what data is all about. I absolutely do not believe it. Because I feel it's more about instinct. I think T20 cricket is about instinct and backing your instinct as well,” the head coach said.
Gambhir praised Sanju Samson's match-winning innings, stating that he always knew the wicketkeeper-batter would deliver when it mattered most.
"He's a world-class player; we all know how good a player Sanju is. It was all about backing him. When the team needed him the most - obviously today was the day - he showed his full potential,” Gambhir told reporters after the game.
The head coach was impressed by Samson's crafted innings, stating that the wicketkeeper-batter's authority was evident even in training sessions, despite not posting big scores leading up to the World Cup.
"I actually felt that he never accelerated the innings. It was just very normal cricketing shots and I never saw him muscling the ball as well. That is the kind of talent he has,” Gambhir said.
"Obviously, he had a tough series against New Zealand, so sometimes it's important to give him a break as well, because you want to get the guy off that pressure situation as well. And we always knew that whenever we needed him in the World Cup game, he would come and deliver it for us," the head coach added.