India head coach Gautam Gambhir praised Rinku Singh for displaying extraordinary character and courage and displaying the highest leadership qualities with the Indian team following the sudden death of his father. He expressed his support and that of his entire team. For young Indian batsmen.

Gautam Gambhir finally breathed a sigh of relief after the Indian team faced a huge hurdle after a humiliating loss to South Africa as they qualified for the semi-finals of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Even though Gautam Gambhir was criticized, slammed, humiliated and more, the former cricketer has managed to maintain his courage well.

Gambhir’s leadership was not in better shape until the team meeting ahead of the crucial match between India and West Indies. Setting aside the team’s discussions, he spoke with great courage about Linku Singh’s personal life and character and boosted his morale during the greatest upheaval of his life.

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Gautam Gambhir emerges as a great leader in BTS talks with Rinku Singh

Indian cricketer Rinku Singh has had his ups and downs in the 2025 season. However, he has made a good start to 2026 after performing well in the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy for domestic side UP. He was re-selected into the India squad for the match against New Zealand and then into the T20 World Cup squad.

This time, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar and many other young players made their debut in the T20 World Cup, and Linku is one of them. Playing the first few games, he didn’t get the best opportunities to fire.

Rinku lost his father, who was battling a terminal illness, the morning after he was dismissed for two ducks against South Africa. Days after losing his father, the cricketer returned to the India training camp for an important match at the Eden Gardens.

Gautam Gambhir addressed Linku and praised his strength and character. He said: “Before I start, Rinku, it takes a lot of character to join this team. Remember, you are not alone; the whole team is standing by your side during this hour. So be strong.”

Gambhir motivates his players not to give in to pressure ahead of West Indies clash

Gautam Gambhir is known for his last-minute inspirations. Huddles are common before games start, but for Gambhir this was his last conversation with his players and he tried to motivate them all to give their best without offering them any last-minute ideas.

“Guys, pressure is going to be there; one thing is very clear. Make sure we don’t run away from pressure. We embrace it and face it. Anytime we feel pressured, we take a positive approach.”

“Enjoy the joy of the sport; that’s what you play the sport for, that’s what you come into your life to play in this knockout type of tournament at home,” Gautam Gambhir inspired the Indian dugout.

“Make sure we go out with excitement and not under some kind of pressure. In the next 40 games, if you feel pressure, make sure we take a positive line. Enjoy it, enjoy playing for your country and most importantly, enjoy playing for each other,” the head coach energized the starting lineup through a fiery collective speech.

Will Gautam Gambhir invite Rinku Singh for the semi-finals?

Although the fight was held at Eden Gardens, Gambhir did not fight Rinku Singh. This means he considers Abhishek to be more important than Linku Singh, something that wasn’t evident until yesterday, but the opener’s recent struggles raise the question of whether he should be retained for the knockout rounds.

Additionally, it was reported that the venue where India played the United States could be used for the second semi-final. The pitch is very slow and too much heat can damage the pitch, helping the spinners to bother players like Abhishek. In such games, a solid start often needs to be backed up by a strong finish.

Therefore, finisher Rinku Singh could be an ideal replacement for Abhishek Sharma, who scored 80 runs in 7 games in the World Cup.

Also read: India vs England match details leaked! Is Abhishek Sharma bound to fail?