Hiring tips: CRED’s Kunal Shah says team sports reveal true ‘cultural fit’ of candidates better than interviews

Hiring the right candidate goes beyond just evaluating resumes and conducting interviews — it’s about finding individuals who align with a company’s culture, values, and goals. While technical skills and experience are crucial, qualities like adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication often determine long-term success.

Kunal Shah, founder of CRED, believes that a game can reveal more about a candidate’s cultural fit than a traditional interview.

“Playing a team sport or engaging in a fun group game often reveals more about someone’s cultural fit than a traditional interview process,” Shah wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

His perspective sparked mixed reactions.

Shweta Sharma, founder of TrustScore, agreed but added a caveat: “True, only valid if you know the game well. So if you are an expert in cricket, do interviews by making people play cricket and watch them — how they play as a team, how innovative they are, how they react to chasing, or playing first.”

Another user pointed out that “the true intention or ability of a person is depicted only when they are in action. Words can be molded in multiple ways to express themselves differently!”

Not everyone agreed. One response argued that “team sports may favor extroverts and disadvantage introverts, particularly with unfamiliar participants, whereas interviews more effectively assess skills and values for all individuals.”

Others supported Shah’s view. “Team sports and board games often show the true colors of someone's thinking, collaboration, competitive ability, and stress-handling capacity,” wrote one user. Another added, “Totally! Group activities reveal communication and teamwork skills, key for fitting into a company’s culture.”

Shah’s hiring philosophy challenges traditional interview methods, but the debate continues — should companies swap Q&A for a game of cricket?

Many companies now explore alternative hiring methods, such as group activities, case studies, or even games, to assess real-world behaviour rather than just scripted responses. A well-rounded hiring process balances skill assessment with personality evaluation, ensuring that new hires contribute positively to both the team and the organization’s growth.