Gautam Gambhir is set to take over as the head coach of the Indian team, replacing Rahul Dravid. He will start his new role with the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka at the end of this month. Gambhir has previously been a mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL. Currently, India’s young team is participating in a five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe, and Indian fast bowler Avesh Khan has shared his experience with the newly appointed coach.
Avesh, who is part of the Indian team for the series against Zimbabwe, said that Gambhir’s sole aim is to ensure victory at all costs and to get the best performance out of the players. Avesh has played for the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL under Gambhir’s mentorship. Avesh has taken six wickets in three matches against Zimbabwe so far and said he is thoroughly enjoying his bowling.
“Gambhir has always been a team coach,” the fast bowler told BCCI before the fourth T20 International match against Zimbabwe on Saturday. “What I learned from Gambhir is the mindset that you should always outperform your opponent and give your 100%. He speaks very little in team meetings and one-on-one conversations but is very clear about what needs to be done. He sets challenges for you and assigns roles to players. He has always been a team coach. Gambhir wants to win at all costs and wants every player to give their 100%.”
He added, “We have played on different wickets here. The first two matches were played on the same wicket. In the first match, it had good bounce, but it became flat in the second match. The conditions are good, and since the ground is open, the ball swings a bit. The matches are being played during the day, so sometimes the wicket becomes dry, but as a bowler, you should be ready for all kinds of conditions. I always try to take wickets for my team. The boundary is quite far here, which is good for bowlers.”
