Gautam Gambhir, one of the heroes in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph, is still finding his feet as the Indian head coach.
One of the major setbacks in his coaching role came during his first assignment where the Indian cricket team, including senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, struggled to bring their A-Game to play as they recorded a 0-2 loss in the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka.
Gambhir’s Team India will be challenged by New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia in 2024 after they host Bangladesh in the home series, slated to get underway on September 19.
Although the legendary Indian opener’s appointment to the role marks a new chapter, there will be comparisons with his predecessor Rahul Dravid.
Team India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has worked closely with Dravid and Gambhir, noting the varied approach they bring into the game. He pointed out at the difference in coaching styles in a recent interview with JioCinema.
“I feel Rahul bhai was very balanced as a human being and as a coach. It could be both good and bad, because in cricket there can be positives. This is upon the individuals whether to focus on the positives and negatives, and it depends on where individuals want to focus.
“Gauti bhai (Gambhir) is more aggressive, he’s very one-sided about the fact that you have to win. But you need to find the right balance and improve. This is the best part of international cricket,” Pant said.
Under the tutelage of Dravid, India became the T20 World Champions, after losing the World Test Championships (WTC) and 50-over World Cup finals.
India’s T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados remains a major headline in Dravid’s career as the head coach as it was the first major title for the national team in 11 years.
While Gambhir mentored Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2024 after being at the helm of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and guiding them to the playoffs for two consecutive season, some major tests awaits him in the Indian dressing room.
