Gautam Gambhir not good enough? Phil Salt reveals experience of working with India head coach

England's dynamic opener Phil Salt has opened up about the secret to his impressive performances in the IPL 2024. He gave credit to none other than Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) former mentor and India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, for his remarkable IPL 2024 campaign.

Phil Salt, who was honored with the Men's T20I Batter of the Year at the CEAT Cricket Awards 2024, has attributed much of his success in the Indian conditions to the invaluable advice and mentorship of Gambhir at the KKR.

Phil Salt credits Gautam Gambhir for his stellar IPL 2024 campaign

The 27-year-old’s journey in the IPL 2024 has been nothing short of extraordinary, describing it as a career-defining moment. Known for his fierce competitive spirit and unmatched dedication, Gautam Gambhir’s influence has clearly rubbed off on Salt, shaping him into a formidable force in the world.

The England batter said that the experience of working closely with Gambhir was nothing short of transformative, as the former KKR mentor’s relentless pursuit of excellence and his focus on the finer details of the game have left a lasting impression on him.

Salt was particularly inspired by Gambhir’s approach to the game—a blend of tactical brilliance and an unyielding competitive edge—saying this mentality motivated him to push his limits and strive for those marginal gains that could make all the difference in high-stakes matches.

The England batter was instrumental in KKR’s title triumph earlier this year. The aggressive batter racked up 435 runs in 12 matches at an average of 39.55 and a strike rate of 182.01. However, Salt had to leave the KKR camp at later stages of the IPL 2024 for the England commitments.

One word would be a competitor for Gautam Gambhir: Phil Salt

Phil Salt said at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards 2024: “Brilliant experience doesn't get any better than you know, coming in and winning the IPL first and foremost. I think GG is no stranger to Indian cricket fans and cricket fans around the world. He's, you know, his playing record speaks for itself and what I found as a player. Just listening to him in his sort of mentoring role.”

Phil Salt added, “What a competitor. I could really relate to him from that point of view. He's always looking for that one percent that's going to get the individual to be better and what's going to get the team over the line. So, I loved working for him. You know one word would be a competitor.”

He's always in touch, he is a good coach: Phil Salt on Chandrakant Pandit

Meanwhile, the England opener has also shared his experience playing under the KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit during the IPL 2024. There were widespread rumors on social media about foreign players in the KKR squad being unhappy with Pandit's strict coaching style, but Salt's experience was quite the opposite, as he hailed his IPL coach.

Phil Salt spoke highly of Pandit's coaching abilities and expressed his admiration for the KKR coach's methods. Salt said, “That's not my personal experience. I can say that you know we got on from day one. No, he's a man that reads a room very well."