Rahul Dravid was a father figure: Ex-Pakistan cricketer claims Gautam Gambhir's anger will doom him as India coach
Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has claimed that Gautam Gambhir will find it hard when he starts his tenure as India's head coach. Gambhir was recently appointed as the head coach of Team India after Rahul Dravid vacated the position.
The announcement of Gambhir's new role was made by BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Tuesday (July 9). Gambhir's appointment was already expected earlier when the reports had emerged that BCCI has been in talks with him since the IPL 2024 season. At that time, Gambhir was the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders and had asked for some time to give it a thought.
After a few days, he expressed his willingness for the job and it was a mere formality till the BCCI announced it officially. Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid, who had already expressed his wish to not continue in the role after the T20 World Cup 2024.
Gautam Gambhir will find it hard as India coach: Basit Ali
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali stated that Rahul Dravid was like a father figure to Team India and it will be a tough ask for Gautam Gambhir to earn that respect and stature within the players.
Basit Ali also spoke about Gambhir's aggression and said that the former India opener has a bit of anger in himself. Basit claimed that despite achieving excellent results for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, Gambhir will find it hard as India's coach.
Basit also mentioned that Gautam Gambhir won't be challenged in the series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh but his biggest test will be when India tours Australia later this year for a five-match Test series.
Basit Ali speaks about the relationship between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli
The former Pakistan cricketer also touched upon the relationship between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli. Basit clearly stated that their relationship won't affect their performances since both are passionate about representing the country. He even gave an example of Hardik Pandya, who was booed throughout IPL 2024 but was well supported when he played for India in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Ali also spoke about the biggest challenge that Gambhir will face during the tenure. According to him, Gambhir's character will be defined by the way he keeps his side together after defeats against big teams. Basit Ali also lauded Gambhir for his charity work in India and wished him good luck for his stint as India's head coach.
Rahul Dravid was India's previous coach before Gautam Gambhir. Dravid's tenure was highly successful when India made it to three ICC tournament finals within a year. While India lost the first two finals, the WTC final and the ODI World Cup final, in 2023, they claimed the T20 World Cup 2024 title and gave a memorable farewell to their outgoing coach.
While Dravid was known as a calm and cool person, Gambhir's nature is slightly different. Since his playing days, Gambhir has been known for his aggressive mindset and a never-say-die attitude. He has the experience of winning big finals for India which will be crucial for the Men in Blue.
