NEW DELHI: Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers has advised India head coach Gautam Gambhir to help the team’s young players regain perspective after their disappointing performances during the recent T20I tours of Ireland and England. De Villiers believes the defeats could serve as a valuable learning experience for India’s emerging stars, who enjoyed outstanding success in the Indian Premier League (IPL) before struggling at the international level.

India entered the tours with immense confidence after winning back-to-back T20 World Cup titles. However, their performances overseas exposed several weaknesses as they suffered a 0-2 series defeat against Ireland followed by a shocking 0-4 clean sweep against England.

According to de Villiers, the results should be viewed as a reality check rather than a disaster. He believes international cricket demands a different level of consistency compared to franchise cricket, where players often face specific bowlers they can target.

De Villiers backs Gambhir to take responsibility

Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers said Gambhir will have a crucial role in shaping the future direction of the Indian T20I team.

“Lots to worry about. Lots of eyes and fingers will be pointed at Gautam Gambhir,” de Villiers said.

The South African great added that Gambhir has the experience and ability to handle the difficult phase and should take ownership of the team’s progress.

“He needs to take leadership and ownership of how this team will move forward. He’s got all the credentials to do so,” he said.

De Villiers also suggested that the defeat could actually benefit India by reminding players about the challenges of international cricket.

“Maybe this was not a bad thing to get a bit of a wake-up call. Bring those players who have scored so many runs in the IPL a little bit down to earth again,” he added.

The former batter highlighted that success in the IPL does not always translate immediately into international performances. He stressed that players need multiple skills and cannot rely only on aggressive batting.

IPL success does not guarantee international dominance

India’s recent T20I squad included several young players who made headlines during IPL 2026. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma were among the standout performers in the tournament.

However, their transition to international cricket proved challenging.

Sooryavanshi, who had created headlines with his explosive batting performances in the IPL, struggled during the overseas tour. Despite scoring 776 runs in the IPL just weeks earlier, he failed to cross 15 runs in any of his three innings against Ireland and England.

Samson also endured a difficult period, with three of his four innings ending in single-digit scores.

De Villiers explained that international cricket provides fewer opportunities for batters to dominate compared to franchise leagues.

“In the IPL, there are always one or two bowlers you think you can score against. In international cricket, there’s nowhere to hide,” he said.

He added that players must develop different gears and adapt according to match situations.

“You need to have more than one or two gears. You can’t always bat in the fifth gear,” de Villiers said.

Experience remains India’s biggest challenge

While India’s young players have shown tremendous potential, de Villiers believes the team’s lack of experience played a major role in the disappointing results.

“It was tough to watch India going down 4-0. I did not see that coming. But also not completely unexpected because of the lack of experience, and that is the word that comes to mind,” he said.

The South African legend added that leadership will become even more important as India continue to build their next generation of T20 stars.

“The leadership becomes all the more important. I know there are a lot of fingers pointed at Gautam Gambhir. It is not only him. He plays a huge role. But you will have to be patient with the makeup of that team,” he said.

India’s recent struggles have raised questions about team selection, tactical decisions and the readiness of younger players for high-pressure international cricket. However, de Villiers believes patience will be essential as the team develops.

India’s young stars face important phase

The current phase represents a crucial stage in India’s T20I transition. With several senior players gradually making way for younger talent, the management will need to find the right balance between aggression and experience.

Players who dominate domestic tournaments and the IPL must now learn how to handle international conditions, stronger bowling attacks and greater tactical pressure.

For Gambhir and his coaching staff, the challenge will be ensuring that the confidence gained from IPL success remains a strength rather than becoming overconfidence.

The defeats against Ireland and England may have exposed weaknesses, but they also provide an opportunity for India’s young players to improve before major future tournaments.

AB de Villiers believes that with proper guidance, patience and stronger preparation, India’s emerging generation can continue the country’s dominance in T20 cricket.