You Become A Champion Team When There Are Selfless People In The Side, Says Kotak

You become a champion team when there are selfless people in the side, says Kotak (Image Source: IANS)

T20 World Cup: India’s historic defence of their Men’s T20 World Cup title was built on a foundation of sheer dominance and a ‘team-first’ ethos. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian team clobbered a record 106 sixes and became the first team in tournament’s history to maintain a run rate of above 10 runs per over.

Behind this relentless power-hitting run to the trophy, there were many contributors - Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan finished amongst the tournament's leading scorers with strike rates above 200, while the likes of Abhishek Sharma, skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya chipping in whenever needed.

India overcame early slumps to deliver the goods in high-stakes knockout games and as the euphoria of World Cup victory still remains high, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak sat down for an exclusive conversation with IANS on the feeling of becoming World Cup winners again, the selfless team culture, turning point of the campaign, and more.

Excerpts:

Q. The Indian team has done what no other side did before – win the T20 World Cup thrice, clinch it consecutive times and that too on home soil. How is this feeling of being world champions in the shortest format?

A. It is a great feeling because, if you see, I came to the Indian team a year and two months ago. Then first came the Champions Trophy win, followed by the Asia Cup victory and this is the third trophy in a year. I feel the World Cup is the World Cup because this is the biggest event we have in the cricketing world.

The big thing was that though we had won one before, and no other country had won back-to-back titles and no other host country had won. You do know that when there is a World Cup in India, the expectation of our people is so high. So, that was also in the back of my mind that no matter what happens, we cannot lose the T20 World Cup in India.

So, it is a very happy feeling actually. I am happier for our country also because so many people support us and for them, we won this trophy in India. So, that is also a great feeling for everyone in the Indian team, including me.

Another thing I want to share is in 2024, I was India ‘A’ head coach and served as the batting coach of NCA (now CoE). When I was not in the team, the excitement of the Indian team winning the World Cup, and how I felt as a spectator or outsider, I still remember that experience.

That is why I have that excited feeling right now because when you are with the team, the expectations and feelings of the rest of the people and the joy of winning, I have seen that it is actually more. When you are with the team, winning becomes a little common. But what does it mean for the public, especially because I have seen it as one of them, I do know about it.

So, I really am so happy that we won and a lot of credit goes to the players. I will not lie because when they go out, they handle the pressure and do everything. So, credit should be given to them only. But I am very happy to be a small part of this World Cup winning group in India.

Q. In such a high-pressure tournament, where everyone’s eyes was on the Indian team replicating their good batting run in bilateral T20I games, how important was it to have that selfless and team-first mindset?

A. The dedication which Sanju and everyone had on practice days, it was very good. I must tell you – look at someone like Siraj. In the first match against the USA, he took three wickets. But he couldn't play in the rest of the games, as Bumrah came in. Then Kuldeep - he won so many matches for India, or even Washington.

Then Rinku was out of the eleven or Sanju was not playing in between, but we won as the whole team played in the tournament as a unit. No one played for their performance. There wasn’t this mindset of ‘I should be playing or why I am not playing.’

I mean, that is the way you become a champion team - when there are selfless people in the side. In a way, that was our strength that our team was totally selfless and that is what actually happened at the end. I think to win such a big tournament, the things that happened, for us, eventually went well.

Like Shubman got hurt on the right foot and he was not in good form, and runs weren’t coming much off him. Then Ishan Kishan came in and he performed so well. Plus, if you observe, we had top three batters in Abhishek, Ishan and Tilak in 3-4 matches and that leftie-leftie combination had to be changed.

Then to change that combination, Sanju was brought back and he did so well in the end. Sometimes I feel all of this was God's plan or as we say ‘bhagwan ka ishaara.’ Everyone did everything for this team and that’s why we got such a good result.

A lot of credit goes to players for this win. Can I tell you the truth? If you ask me, I have made just a small contribution. Yes, I do work as the batting coach, but a lot of credit goes to players because they have to handle pressure and execution of shots.

Then a lot of credit also goes to Gautam and Surya because they are answerable for every single thing. The pressure is on them and I have a small contribution to make and I do it. But I would give a lot of credit to these guys – players, captain and coach.

Q. In your opinion, what was the turning point of India’s campaign in this competition?

A. I can't say one thing as the turning point. But I feel in the first few matches, because of Abhishek's form and off-spinners causing troubles for three lefties, it was not working and that momentum was not there. Since the time I joined the team from the white-ball series against England in January 2025, we had a strong momentum in T20Is that year.

Only in the beginning of the World Cup, from the first match, we were little concerned that the momentum was not working. I was confident that it would work, but after the loss to South Africa, we had to do well in the remaining four games and we did well.

The actual brand of cricket that we played, we got that back at the right time as all games after that defeat to South Africa were knock out matches. It was compulsory for us to win against Zimbabwe and we did win all four of our remaining knockout games in that fashion. The way we batted in all those four games, we created that momentum we were craving to have and that was very, very important for us to win.

Q. What will be that one moment or a collection of moments from this campaign which will stay forever in your mind?

A. I can’t pinpoint at any one memory from this campaign. But I am so happy to be a part of this group – winning a T20 World Cup in India is always special. All the odds were against us, so as the records and data – like the host nation didn't win a T20 World Cup and no one ever won back-to-back titles. By achieving all of that, we were able to win this World Cup for our country and that will be forever memorable for me.

Q. In the post-win celebrations, your family also joined in. Can you talk a bit about their contributions while you were busy guiding the Indian batters to success in the competition?

A. They have contributed a lot. I am out of the house for 10 months and if you talk about my wife, to look after the house and kids, she has been very great. Now with the kids grown up, they also miss me – like they have their own careers and ups and downs. They sometimes feel like their father is not around for a much longer time.

All of this is part of the journey, but they came to the ground for the final and we won the trophy – so I give a lot of credit to my family. They don't let me feel that I am missing out because sometimes this journey is tough. When you are out, there are a lot of ups and downs which you can't even discuss with people.

Situations like that come in everyone’s life, but at least when you can't stay at one place for a longer time, then you feel the sadness of not having your family around. My wife is the one who has been playing that pivotal role for my family, especially since the time when my mother and father were also there.

My sister is also one of my big supporting figures. Unfortunately, her daughter's health was bad, so she couldn't come to watch the final. But that is life and I am very thankful to all of them. I was so happy that they were very happy to see a World Cup win at home and be a part of seeing it live, as well as soak in the surreal feeling after the post-game ceremonies were over. So honestly, God has been very kind actually.

Q. You now have a breather of a few months before the international action begins again. How does the planning for future events in both white-ball and red-ball look like from your perspective?

A. Yes, a couple months of break is there now, but there’s still a lot to look forward to. Aside from the future white-ball ICC events, there are Test matches around and a WTC final in 2027. We will definitely try to play in that WTC final and win for India, which we haven't won yet.

But the efforts will be there for making it happen and rest assured we will do that. It has to come – the good run in red-ball cricket. The BCCI is doing so much for all of us, and a lot of credit has to go to them also. Like our domestic structure and IPL, we are getting such good players for the national team.

They don't just come in picture like that – top to top administrators and right down to people at the bottom, who work in domestic cricket, they should also get a lot of credit for winning the World Cup because this is also a pathway which is so strong and that’s why our players are so strong.

But the efforts will be there for making it happen and rest assured we will do that. It has to come – the good run in red-ball cricket. The BCCI is doing so much for all of us, and a lot of credit has to go to them also. Like our domestic structure and IPL, we are getting such good players for the national team.

They are creating such a comfortable life for juniors, Ranji Trophy and IPL players, as only then these players can grow so much because having that security, especially the financial security is important in today's world. So credit to all the stakeholders and it is a small contribution that I am making and till the time I am there, I will keep doing it.

Article Source: IANS