India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav. (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir has finally addressed the long-running jokes about his serious expressions in the dugout, saying the pressure of representing India in major tournaments leaves little room for smiles — even in moments of celebration.The Indian head coach was reacting to a playful message from former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni after India’s triumph in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Dhoni congratulated the team on social media and humorously told Gambhir that a smile suits him.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“History gets created at Ahmedabad… big congratulations to the team and support staff and to all the fans of the Indian team worldwide. Coach Sahab smile looks great on u, intensity with smile is a killer combo,” Dhoni wrote in an Instagram post following the victory.Responding to the message, Gambhir said he appreciated the gesture but explained that the intense pressure during global tournaments makes it difficult for players and staff to openly express emotions.

“It’s very difficult to be in a situation where people have not been. But good on him that he posted on that,” Gambhir told ANI. “When you’re in a dugout, there is so much at stake. There is always so much expectation from the Indian team that even if you want to laugh, you can’t laugh, especially in a tournament like the World Cup.”He added that the expectations surrounding Indian cricket are enormous and losing, even though part of sport, is often treated as unacceptable.“In India, unfortunately, losing is not an option — but it can happen. If losing was not an option, then India would have won all the World Cups. But that doesn’t happen,” he said.India’s emphatic 96-run win over New Zealand in the final sealed a historic title defence, making the India the first side to win the T20 World Cup on home soil and the first to lift the trophy three times.