Gambhir in his own territory, Team India’s focus on fitness, and a rivalry beyond numbers

By K.R. Nayar
From Arun Jaitley Stadium

Delhi.  It is Team India coach Gautam Gambhir’s territory. The moment you settle into your seat in the press box at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and lift your eyes, the stands bearing his name stare right back at you. Being his home ground, he knows the pitch best and would have made sure it is not a tricky wicket like the one in Mumbai for the next match against Namibia on February 12. Immediately after the team landed from Mumbai on February 8, Gambhir hosted a dinner for the team at his residence. He has done it before too. His wife Natasha and daughters Aazeen and Anaiza welcomed the players and support staff.  This is when Gambhir turns host rather than a coach.

ICC statistics revealing an increase in T20 World Cup viewership 

Fitness first, vigilance always

If there is one thing non-negotiable in this campaign, it is fitness. Team India knows its strength lies in its most valuable players staying match-ready. So, Tuesday’s practice session had one focal point — Jasprit Bumrah. Despite recovering from his illness, he bowled cautiously but confidently. Every delivery felt like a reassurance. Washington Sundar rolling his arm over was another comforting sight. Abhishek Sharma, however, is still shaking off a stomach bug — a reminder that in Delhi, one must battle more than just opposition attacks. “Delhi Belly” is as real as any rival bowler. With temperatures hovering around 15 degrees and dipping to 10 or 11 at night and early morning, adapting to shifting weather patterns becomes another contest within the contest. It is not just India who are adjusting — every team playing in Delhi will need to recalibrate.

Why watch a lop-sided rival?

Since Pakistan will be playing all their matches in Sri Lanka, that could serve as an advantage for them. Team India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, while pointing out this factor, stated that “going to Colombo, where Pakistan have been for two weeks, will be a challenge; but we’re focused on bringing our best game.”  Many fans claim that India-Pakistan matches in the ICC World events have been quite lop-sided, with India enjoying a 17-4 record. If that is so, why is there so much focus on this match? Because in this rivalry, numbers fade and national pride takes centre stage. Victory is celebrated wildly. Defeat is dissected endlessly. A defeat for either team would be a national shame — it is a wound that takes time to heal.

No more ‘cakewalk’ cricket

Those who predicted dull early rounds with associate nations playing the big teams, are now swallowing their words. Netherlands rattled Pakistan before going down fighting. What was expected to be a stroll turned into a scramble — Pakistan scraping through by three wickets with just three balls to spare. India’s clash with USA was hardly a procession either. What seemed routine turned into resistance before India sealed a 29-run win. Associate nations are no longer fillers in the fixture list; they are disruptors rewriting scripts.

Pride beyond the boundary

It was interesting to find an Indian at the Arun Jaitley Stadium claiming that he was a fan of associate nations cricket. The England-Nepal match saw England survive a major scare, winning by just four runs.  An interesting observation about that match was that Nepalese take huge pride in the fact that they were never colonised by any big power due to their challenging mountains and rugged terrain. So, the match against England was their chance to conquer a power that has colonised many nations. Unlike most countries, they do not have an Independence Day. So a win in this match could have made the day a historic cricket celebration.

The great Indian cricket obsession

A Uber driver had an interesting observation: how are so many fans packing stadiums on weekday afternoons and late evenings? Do they all take leave from work? Apparently, many do — or find a way. Whether it’s a 3 pm start or a 7 pm game stretching deep into the night, nearly 25,000 spectators turn up even for associate-nation matches. The India-USA clash at Wankhede drew 24,997. Forty thousand filled the DY Patil Stadium for a mere warm-up between India and South Africa on February 4. This is over and above the huge digital engagement, with 647 million video views across all platforms in the last one week — which is an increase of 53% from the 2024 T20 World Cup