Gautam Gambhir is 'relaxed rancho', Rahul Dravid was regimented: Ravichandran Ashwin's stunning revelation

The veteran India National Cricket Team bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has highlighted a key difference between the current head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and former head coach, Rahul Dravid.

World Cup-winner Gautam Gambhir joined the Indian team as head coach after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 when Rahul Dravid left the role.

Dravid left big shoes to fill, as in his final assignment he made sure India clinched the T20 World Cup title and ended their ICC trophy drought. Other than that, under Rahul Dravid, India continued their domination in world cricket and played the final of the ICC World Cup 2023 and ICC World Test Championship 2023 and won the Asia Cup 2023 as well.

Gautam Gambhir was finalized for the head coach role despite having no major coaching experience, as he had only served as a mentor in the Indian Premier League. The BCCI, however, showed faith in him as they wanted an Indian to take over from Rahul Dravid.

So far, Gautam Gambhir has been decent in his role with the side. He commenced his stint with a 3-0 clean sweep over Sri Lanka in a T20I series but lost his next ODI assignment against the Lankan Lions by 0-2.

However, after quickly forgetting the setback, Gautam Gambhir began his tenure as red-ball head coach in the home Test series against Bangladesh and India dominantly won the first match.

The upcoming months will be very crucial for Gautam Gambhir and his team as it will decide whether or not India will play the final of the ICC World Test Championship for the third consecutive time.

Rahul Dravid wanted things in order. With Gautam Gambhir, he doesn't expect all that - Ravichandran Ashwin

After the first Test against Bangladesh, Ravichandran Ashwin revealed the key difference between Gautam Gambhir and Dravid. He stated that Dravid was a strict coach who wanted things in order and on the other hand, Gambhir is nothing like that.

Ravichandran Ashwin added that Gautam Gambhir remains quite relaxed and labeled him as a 'relaxed rancho'. Notably, Ashwin has previously shared the dressing room with Gambhir during the latter's playing days.

"I think he is very relaxed. I want to call him 'relaxed rancho'. There's no pressure at all. In the morning, there will be a team huddle. He is very relaxed about that as well. He will be like, 'are you coming, please come'. It's like that.," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

"With Rahul bhai, as soon as we come, he wanted things in order: even a bottle should be kept at a particular place at a particular time. He is very regimented. He wanted things in order," he added.

"With Gambhir, he doesn't expect all that. He has a relaxed order. He will be a people's man. He will capture everybody's heart. I think he will be loved by the boys," he said.

Meanwhile, under Gambhir, India will play a three-match Test series against New Zealand after the conclusion of the Bangladesh series.