‘My job is to build super team, not superstars’:Gautam Gambhir shares coaching experience; says, ‘Next target is to qualify for WTC’

After guiding Team India to a historic third T20 World Cup title in 2026, head coach Gautam Gambhir has already set his sights on the next big milestone. Speaking about his future plans, Gambhir revealed that his next goal is to win the World Test Championship (WTC) 2027. He also highlighted the importance of building a strong collective unit rather than focusing on individual fame, stating that his aim is to create a powerful team culture. Gambhir expressed his philosophy by saying, ‘My job is to build a super team, not a superstar.’ Known for delivering in crucial moments, Gambhir has maintained a perfect record in major ICC finals, both as a player and now as a coach. Despite earlier criticism over India’s Test record during his current coaching tenure and questions raised in public discussions about his role, Gambhir has continued to silence critics with consistent success on the biggest stages. As a coach, Gautam Gambhir has achieved remarkable success, winning several major titles including the Indian Premier League with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and most recently the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. With the latest triumph, Gambhir became the first Indian coach to win two ICC trophies, further strengthening his reputation as one of the most successful coaches in modern Indian cricket. Gautam Gambhir – ‘Next target is to qualify for the WTC’ Gautam Gambhir recently shared that Test cricket holds a special place in his heart and revealed that his next major target is to guide India national cricket team to the final of the ICC World Test Championship. Speaking to ANI, Gambhir said the team’s main focus will now be on performing well in the remaining Test matches to secure a place in the WTC final. “Test cricket is very close to my heart. That one format is extremely, extremely close. And I hope that first we can qualify for the World Test Championship final. That’s my next target. And we still have, what, nine test matches to go? And the focus is going to be there because I feel that yes, we’ve gone through a transition in red ball cricket, and it is always difficult as compared to white ball cricket,” Gambhir said. He also admitted that the team is currently going through a transition phase in red-ball cricket and stressed the importance of supporting young players during this period. “And there are these young boys who we will keep backing in red ball cricket because test cricket is never easy. So the next target is that hopefully we can qualify for the World Test Championship,” Gambhir added. ‘My job is to build a super team, not superstars’ – Gautam Gambhir Further Gambhir has also shared his experience as a coach and illustrates his job role inside the dressing room. He said, “That is a simple difference and that difference will always remain. The media wants to create superstars but my job as a head coach is to create a super team.” “And that is the only way I look at my profession because my job is to be absolutely fair, even and treat everyone exactly equally because those 15 people in that dressing room are absolutely equal to me. Hopefully, till I finish my tenure, I will be able to create a super team.”