Player adapts to team’s needs not other way round: Gambhir and United manager exchange notes

Does a player adjust to the team or a team adjusts to the player was the topic of discussion between Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim when their respective sides gathered at Red Devils’ training headquarters at the Carrington.

The situation Gambhir and Amorim find themselves in is quite similar. In the last 10 games that United have played under Amorim’s stewardship, they had lost six games, while under Gambhir, India have lost eight out of their last 11 Tests.

While the meeting didn’t happen at the Old Trafford but the main protagonists of ‘Theatre of Dreams’ were all present to welcome the Indian squad at a sponsor’s event with jerseys being exchanged.

“It was a nice interaction about what his (Amorim’s) ideology is towards team sport and what my ideology is towards team sport. The basic foundation of team sport is very similar, where I feel, it is the player that adapts to what the team needs rather than team that adapts to a certain individual, the culture which we want to build,” Gambhir, who like Amorim is under pressure, told BCCI.TV.

Kuldeep Yadav, a football freak and a die-hard Barcelona fan who also follows Manchester United, spoke about Amorim’s tactics.

“I was looking forward to talking to Ruben Amorim. I have followed him since Sporting (Lisbon). I asked him a bit about tactic, whether he would stick to 3-4-3 this season and a chance to chat with Casemiro about how I admire him as a player,” Kuldeep said.

He later took to ‘X’ and posted his photo with Amorim. “Sharing football knowledge with the man who’s redefining the game.”

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen didn’t mind pulling Kuldeep’s leg with a reply: “Very very very poor team” to which the wrist spinner wittily replied, “Very very good human being just like you.”

India skipper Shubman Gill and United skipper Bruno Fernandes also exchanged pleasantries while Harry Maguire was seen joking with Mohammed Siraj.

“Very exciting to meet top athletes of the world from another sport, get to know stories, mindset. When you step onto the field, more than what people expect from you, it is about you being able to enjoy your game,” Gill said.

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