India head coach Gautam Gambhir dedicates T20 World Cup win to Dravid and Laxman

Head coach Gautam Gambhir chose to share the spotlight after India’s triumphant campaign in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, dedicating the historic victory to former coach Rahul Dravid and National Cricket Academy chief VVS Laxman. Rather than celebrating individual credit, Gambhir emphasised the importance of the system that has helped Indian cricket consistently produce world-class performances and talent.

India secured their third T20 World Cup title after a win over New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The victory also made India the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup and the first to win the tournament on home soil. While the players delivered a dominant performance on the field, Gambhir made it clear that the triumph was the result of years of groundwork done by several individuals within Indian cricket.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Gambhir paid special tribute to Dravid and Laxman for their contributions to Indian cricket’s strong structure. According to him, the success of the national team did not begin with this campaign but was built on foundations set during previous tenures.

“I want to dedicate this T20 World Cup to Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. What Rahul bhai has done for Indian cricket. VVS for how he has been leading the CoE," Gambhir said.

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Ajit Agarkar deserves a lot of credit as well: Gambhir

Dravid had previously guided India to major tournament success and played a crucial role in building a white-ball squad capable of thriving in high-pressure events. Gambhir also praised Laxman for his work behind the scenes at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, which continues to produce a steady pipeline of talented cricketers ready for international cricket. In addition, Gambhir acknowledged the contributions of chief selector Ajit Agarkar and former BCCI president and current ICC chairperson, Jay Shah.

“Ajit Agarkar deserves a lot of credit as well because he takes a lot of flak despite the honesty and commitment with which he works. I want to thank Jay bhai for trusting me with the job. He was the only person who called me during my low times. Indian cricket is in safe hands with people like them around. I really have to thank him for trusting me with this job because I remember very clearly that when I was given this role, I had no experience of being the head coach of any franchise or any team. Yet he still trusted me with the responsibility. So I have to thank him for that. And I think as long as people like him are there, Indian cricket is in very, very safe hands,” Gambhir added.