'Allowed players to be free, without worrying about making mistakes' - Former Australia star heaps praise on Gautam Gambhir

Australian veteran Shane Watson shared his thoughts on India’s unbeaten run in ODIs in 2025 and the role of head coach Gautam Gambhir behind it. India are set to face Australia in a three-match ODI series, with the first game scheduled to be played in Perth on Sunday, October 19. Shubman Gill will lead the Indian team, taking over the reins from Rohit Sharma, while Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain.

Watson highlighted that India’s unbeaten streak in ODIs could be attributed to the influence of Gautam Gambhir as head coach. He praised the team’s fearless brand of cricket and the way players are showcasing their full potential under Gambhir’s guidance. The former Australian all-rounder, however, believes that the hosts have what it takes to end India’s unbeaten run in the upcoming series.

“The Indian ODI team in 2025 have been unbeaten, and that comes down to two things: the incredible talent that keeps emerging from Indian cricket, and Gautam Gambhir’s leadership. GG has allowed those players to be free, without worrying about making mistakes,” said Watson on JioHotstar.

“You can see the brand of cricket they’re playing now; it’s fearless and expressive, unlocking their full potential. There’s no surprise they’ve been so dominant this year. Do I think Australia can break that unbeaten record? Yes, but they’ll have to be at their very best because India is playing incredibly well. It’s going to be a great series to watch,” he added.

In 2025, India participated in the ICC Champions Trophy and emerged victorious without losing a single match, defeating New Zealand in the final. After a gap of more than seven months, India will now return to ODI action with a three-match series against Australia.

India ODI squad:

Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Dhruv Jurel (WK)

Australia ODI squad:

Mitchell Marsh (C), Travis Head, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa