In an era where international cricketers arrive fully formed, the definition of a head coach is being quietly rewritten. That shift was placed under a sharp spotlight when Kapil Dev weighed in on the growing scrutiny surrounding Gautam Gambhir’s role with the Indian team.
Speaking at the Indian Chamber of Commerce ICC centenary session, Kapil framed the debate not as a critique of individuals, but as a misunderstanding of what modern leadership in cricket truly demands.
Why ‘coach’ means something different today
Kapil began by challenging the very language used around team leadership. “Today that word called a coach… ‘coach’ is a very common word today. Gautam Gambhir can’t be a coach. He can be a manager of the team,” he said, underscoring his belief that the traditional idea of coaching no longer applies at the highest level.
He contrasted international cricket with formative years in the game, adding, “When you say coach, coach is where I learn in the school and college. Those were the people, my coach there. They can manage me,” pointing to the distinction between technical instruction and elite-level management.
Kapil questioned the practicality of expecting one individual to coach specialists across disciplines. “How can you be a coach when they have given a name to let’s say anybody a leg spinner? How can Gautam can be a coach to a leg spinner or to the wicket-keeper?” he asked, emphasizing the depth of specialization in the modern game.
Leadership as encouragement, not instruction
For Kapil, the real responsibility of a head coach or captain lies elsewhere. “I think you have to manage. That’s more important. As a manager you give them encouragement to say you can do it because when you become a manager the young boys look up to you,” he noted, highlighting the psychological dimension of leadership.
He elaborated on what players need most from those in charge. “How can my manager or captain can give me that comfort and that’s what the manager and captain’s job is — to give comfort to the team and always say ‘you can do better’. That’s the way I look at it,” he explained.
That philosophy shaped his own approach as captain. “I think you have to give comfort to the people who are not playing well. If somebody made a hundred I don’t want to have a drink and dinner with him,” Kapil said, stressing that struggling players require greater support.
He expanded on the idea of unity over individual success, saying, “There are a lot of people there… As a captain I would like to have a drink with people or I like to have a dinner with people who are not performing. You need to give them the confidence and that’s what happens. So I think it’s very important as a captain and your role is not only your performance, it is also about putting the team together.”
Views on technique, temperament, and eras
Kapil also reflected on how fundamentals transcend formats. “I love everything in cricket — T20, T10, One-day, everything. I always maintain one thing more. They said Sunil Gavaskar, I said had he played during this period he would have been best player in T20 also,” he said, arguing that sound technique never goes out of style.
He explained why defensive skill remains the foundation of attacking cricket. “The people who have a strong defence, for them hitting is much easier. Defence is difficult. So I always said remember that person who have a great defence, he can always attack because he has that much extra time.”
Looking back on his own beginnings, Kapil added a personal note. “I didn’t know how to block. I mean I said before also Bishan Bedi paaji sent me as a night-watchman. I was a rookie, didn’t know anything about cricket,” he recalled.
He also praised the cricketing culture of the city hosting the session, saying, “Kolkata has the most knowledgeable crowd. I think Calcutta people understand the game much better than other people.”
Belief, madness, and winning big
Kapil tied leadership to mindset, drawing from his own journey. “Punjabis are basically little mad, you know… They are crazy people so they set a target in their mind,” he said, before linking belief to achievement.
Reflecting on India’s 1983 World Cup triumph, he added, “It was my belief… when the team starts believing it changes. Captain is always mad, chairman of the company’s or CEO of the company’s is mad. He gives such a target but target can only be complete if the entire team starts believing. I think halfway through the tournament the team started believing, yes, we can win.”
Mithali Raj on a long-awaited moment
Former India women’s captain Mithali Raj, who also spoke at the session, reflected on India’s eventual success on home soil. “It was this quiet emotion to see that ‘India’ engraved on that Cup… Because every time you get the photo shoot done when you qualify to play the finals you’re next to the trophy and you only see Australia, England and New Zealand,” she said.
Recalling earlier heartbreaks, she added, “I was there twice. I got to do that photo shoot and every time it was like when we should be getting ‘India’ there, and finally we got it.”
The realization, she said, came only at the very end. “Only when the crowd roared I knew we finally won. Winning it at home was a huge thing.”
Together, the reflections from Kapil and Mithali offered a shared message: in modern cricket, leadership is less about teaching skills and more about nurturing belief.
