As Gautam Gambhir steps into the role of India's head coach, he faces the challenge of living up to the high standards set by his predecessors. Ravi Shastri, one of India's most successful coaches, recently shared his thoughts on Gambhir's appointment.
Shastri's tenure as head coach was marked by significant achievements, including India's rise to the top of the Test rankings for five consecutive years and back-to-back Test series victories in Australia. These accomplishments have set a high bar for Gambhir to meet or exceed.
Shastri recently expressed confidence in Gambhir's potential as a coach. He highlighted the former opener's vast experience, particularly his recent success in the IPL, as a valuable asset.
Shastri emphasized Gambhir's familiarity with current players, especially in white-ball cricket, due to his involvement in the IPL. This knowledge, combined with Gambhir's reputation could bring a fresh perspective to the team.
"He's contemporary, he just had a great season in the IPL. I think he's the right age where he's young, he'll come with fresh ideas. He knows most of the players, especially in the white-ball format, having been part of teams in the IPL. So I think it's refreshing," Shastri said on The ICC Review Show.
I think he's got the tools, he's got the goods for the job: Ravi Shastri
However, Shastri didn't shy away from pointing out the challenges ahead. He stressed the importance of player management, noting that while Gambhir has a mature and settled team, the ability to introduce fresh ideas to seasoned players will be crucial.
"And we know with Gautam, he's a no-nonsense guy. He'll have his ideas as well. And the good thing for him is he's got a mature team. He's got a settled team, a mature team. I think even though you might think you're mature, you might benefit from some fresh ideas," he added.
"So I think it'll be interesting times. Obviously, player management becomes the key as a coach. So it'll be interesting to see how he goes. I think he's got the tools, he's got the goods for the job and he's got the experience," he further added.
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The former coach also highlighted the need for Gambhir to quickly understand his players on a personal level. Shastri feels these factors will help the team on the field and win more games.
"It's a question of just understanding his players as quickly as possible. What their strengths are, what kind of human beings they are and what kind of temperaments do they have? What are their personalities? A lot goes behind the scenes to understand a human being," concluded Shastri.
With the Men in Blue set to play Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I and ODI series, the veteran has a lot of things to prove. Gambhir will officially walk on the field as the head coach of the Indian team on July 27 in the first T20I at Pallekele.
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