Iconic Gautam Gambhir and Sensational Virat Kohli Share Common Traits

At the start of this year, Gautam Gambhir was posed with a major challenge in his cricketing career. The situation was that at that time, general elections were due a few months later, which further made the then Lok Sabha MP a little ambiguous about his further political career.

At the same time, the IPL franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders, owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, offered Gautam Gambhir a huge deal to return as the team’s coach.

Following discussions with his friends and relatives, Gambhir chose to come back to cricket. In moments of indecision, he found guidance in a line from poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s famous poem:  It means that when a person gets what he or she wishes for, it is good; in the case where he or she does not get it, then it is better.

Cricket Proves Fruitful for Clarke on His Return

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So far, Gautam Gambhir’s decision to leave lifting and switch back to cricket has paid off well. Following the same intention of taking KKR to the 2024 IPL title and earning applause for the turnaround of the team, Gautam Gambhir, 42, is the new coach of India, replacing Rahul Dravid. Even after clinching the recent T20 World Cup, the desire to get hold of the Test championship and the ODI crown is still not met.

Gautam Gambhir has always had a very forthright attitude, and now he has the chance to lead India to these illustrious championships. As a player for the Indian team, he was at his best during numerous victories, including the 2007 ICC World T20 and the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

However, what some people hardly believed before is the current shift in the chain of events, as his appointment is now expected after the recent T20 World Cup success.

Contrasting Coaching Styles of Gautam Gambhir

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Traditionally, India has sought dignified persons in the dressing room like Gary Kirsten, Rahul Dravid, and Duncan Fletcher, with the overtones being distinct in Ravi Shastri.

Gautam Gambhir is quite the opposite as a character. He has always been aggressive, his loyalties mostly lie in India, and he has a different outlook towards cricket as a sport. Admitting that he did not like the game, he still played it more than anything else he had going on in his life.

I don’t think I enjoy cricket too much, to be honest. I think for me, cricket is something that is my priority.

Relationship with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

Despite much speculation about Gautam Gambhir’s relationship with Virat Kohli, both share several common traits. They are easily offended, highly competitive, and hate losing. This similarity might lead to a positive working relationship in their new roles.

It’s worth noting that Gautam Gambhir made his last international comeback under Kohli’s captaincy, despite their publicized on-field scuffles in the IPL. Additionally, Gambhir has expressed admiration for Rohit Sharma’s captaincy skills, suggesting a relatively smooth relationship.

Gambhir has consistently supported less-celebrated players, a stance stemming from his own experiences.

He has openly discussed his insecurities, once saying, if I don’t score runs in two or three games, I start getting that feeling that I’m going to get dropped.

His candidness extends to his reflections on past performances, such as his regret over not finishing the 2011 World Cup final. Detractors might see this as a missed opportunity for stardom, but Gautam Gambhir views it as a failure to fulfill his role for the team.