India cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)

On Independence Day, Gautam Gambhir kept it simple but powerful. Posting a picture with the tricolour, he wrote, “My country, my identity, my life! Jai Hind!🇮🇳” — a message that resonated with fans across India. It was more than a patriotic caption; it was a reflection of a man whose cricketing journey has always been intertwined with the nation’s pride.

Gautam Gambhir tweet on X

Now serving as India’s head coach, Gambhir carries the same passion he once showed as an opener. His tenure, which began in July 2024, has already been full of highs, lows and intense scrutiny. In Test cricket, results have been mixed. India has played 15 Tests under him, winning five, losing eight and drawing two. The most recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England was a thrilling battle — India lost the first and third Tests, bounced back to win the second and final matches, with a high-scoring draw in Manchester sealing a 2-2 series result. It was a contest filled with tense finishes, resilient comebacks and moments that reminded fans of India’s fighting spirit.

In white-ball cricket, Gambhir’s impact has been more immediate. India has dominated in T20Is, winning 13 out of 15 games, remaining unbeaten in series. ODIs saw an early stumble with a home series loss to Sri Lanka, but the team rebounded strongly, winning eight consecutive matches and lifting the 2025 Champions Trophy. Gambhir’s leadership style has sometimes drawn criticism for too much chopping and changing, but he remains steadfast in taking responsibility, famously saying, “We lose together, we win together.” For a man who scored 97 in the 2011 World Cup final and 75 in the 2007 T20 World Cup final, that sense of accountability and love for the country is nothing new. His Independence Day post was a reminder that, for him, cricket and patriotism have always gone hand in hand.