Gautam Gambhir will start his role as India’s new head coach on July 27, when Suryakumar Yadav and the team will face Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series. This series includes three T20I matches, followed by three ODIs, starting on August 2. Gambhir took over as coach from Rahul Dravid, whose term ended after India won the T20 World Cup 2024. Gambhir, who was part of the winning teams in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, is expected to introduce a new style to the Indian team.
Recently, former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Robin Uthappa highly praised Gambhir, describing him as an “approachable” and “empathetic” leader.
“He’s been a fantastic leader who knows how to handle his team members. The stories people share about him online are very typical of Gambhir. However, I believe he’s a very polite and kind person. He’s easy to talk to and always there when you need him. He really cares about his players,” Uthappa shared with India Today.
He takes good care of his team and makes sure everyone feels safe and supported. This isn’t just true when he’s the captain, but also when he’s guiding teams like LSG and KKR. We’ve seen the great results he’s achieved with both teams,” he continued.
Uthappa played under Gambhir’s leadership at Kolkata Knight Riders, winning the IPL in 2012 and 2014. He also mentioned that the combination of Rohit Sharma and Gambhir would be just as successful as Rohit and Dravid.
“I believe his way of leading won’t change much. However, the enthusiasm and energy he shows for the team might be different. He’ll demand top performance and will set a high example himself,” Uthappa explained.
“I expect him to be a just leader and to give his team a sense of safety. So, I think Rohit and Gautam will form a different partnership compared to Rohit and Dravid, but I believe it will be just as successful,” he continued.
