Gautam Gambhir: Exciting Times Ahead for ‘Mr. Intense’
Gautam Gambhir is well aware that his flamboyance will be examined through that lens.
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It happened soon after a promotional event that took place a few years ago in New Delhi at a five-star hotel.
A few journalists approached Gautam Gambhir as he stood in the lobby, a rare sight of him smiling.
Gambhir, a non-conformist in every sense of the term, was having a cold war with the erstwhile mandarins of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) at that time.
“You know why I don’t fear anyone in this establishment? Because I am not here to earn money,” he told those two journalists.
As he embarks on his new role as head coach of the Indian men’s national team, he gets ready for one of the most exciting rides that is sure to be exhilarating.
Additionally, he had to be prepared for some parallels. It will be difficult to forget Rahul Dravid’s composed manner, particularly considering that it was crucial in India’s victory over the T20 World Cup last month, breaking an 11-year ICC trophy drought.
Gambhir is well aware that his flamboyance will be examined through that lens.
Despite coming from a wealthy family, the man from Old Rajinder Nagar in Central Delhi—the area of choice for Indians aspiring to the Civil Services—never had it easy in Indian cricket.
Perhaps that’s the reason, intensity became his second nature as he was required to prove himself at every step.
He didn’t receive anything on a plate. Maybe this is the reason he was unable to accept that success and failure are inevitable in life. For Gautam Gambhir, winning is the most important thing in life.
The legendary ‘Mr Intense’ of Indian cricket never took any prisoners, but as he walks into that dressing room, albeit in a different role, he must realize that winning the players’ total devotion would require much more than cunning tactics or unwavering zeal.
His three IPL seasons as a coach and his leadership for KKR provide irrefutable proof of his cricketing prowess.
Whether it’s transforming a world-beater Andre Russell into a formidable opener, bringing a future T20 gem like Suryakumar Yadav (Gambir coined the nickname “SKY”), or persuading Shah Rukh Khan and Venky Mysore to spend a lot of money for Mitchell Starc, nobody can doubt his aptitude for reading the game.
He can persevere and is even willing to engage in a good fight with anyone when he adds his faith in juniors that he likes. For a rookie pacer like Navdeep Saini, he successfully completed similar tasks for the late Bishan Singh Bedi and the late Chetan Chauhan.
Or it could be literally getting into a fight for juniors with senior Delhi coach K.P. Bhaskar, not to forget those epic on-field skirmishes with Virat Kohli.
Gambhir isn’t your average also-ran, he is in your face and ready to loudly make his opinion known.
Just like as Delhi skipper, he came to the practice for three consecutive days and didn’t enter nets till Ajay Jadeja, the appointed coach for the season, didn’t resign on fourth day.
Gambhir’s logic was simple: No chance of sharing dressing room with someone accused of match-fixing.
Right or Wrong? Well, one could just say, it was a Gambhir thing.
Is he always right now? An intriguing viewpoint was shared by a former cricket player who collaborated with Gambhir on India and North Zone teams.
“There is no right way or wrong way for him. There’s only a Gauti Way. Will he change that? or would he rather even want to change that? I doubt. But would he need some tweak here and there?
“Well, in the Indian dressing room, it’s a must. That’s why Ravi bhai (Shastri) is a players’ favourite,” the accomplished player said.
Just the duties in the IPL, which includes a variety of the greatest cricket players in the globe, are outlined. The players control how it is executed.
A national team often has a few loose ends, while a competent IPL squad rarely has many.
However, some of the true stars of the game are found on Indian teams, and history has shown that superstars like the status quo.
Many delicate egos will be present, and Gambhir isn’t exactly a people-pleaser.
He believes that Zaheer Khan, who bowled a brilliant opening stint that put Sri Lanka on the back foot, deserves less credit than Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who hit one six in that 2011 World Cup final.
Even while he is aware that, like Sachin Tendulkar, Dhoni evokes strong feelings in the eyes of the typical Indian cricket fan, he never passes up the chance to drive home his argument.
“I am not here to smile, I am here to win,” he would tell Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
Depending on one’s perspective, one can determine their desired assessment of Gautam Gambhir.
Call him a team player who supported an Afghan player who played for his IPL side, or call him a brat for his altercation with Kohli.
Considering his tweets attacking Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal without holding back, one could label him an aggressive politician. Alternatively, one could locate a good-hearted MP who would provide meals to the underprivileged for Re 1 in his canteen and fund the education of 25 children of CRPF personnel who were killed in a Maoist attack.
There are questions and very pertinent ones.
How would he handle someone like Virat Kohli, who is by far the best player in India and with whom he has a history?
Although Rohit Sharma will be heading the squad in at least two of the three formats, he is an alpha male in the IPL Universe. Is he prepared to give up the spotlight and become a backstage man?
What kind of red ball coach will he become? He has had some long Test knocks in Napier and Wellington, as well as a stylish one in Durban.
It won’t be easy to find these answers. It will require a refined perspective and be multilayered.
While Gambhir will undoubtedly have to learn as well, every Indian fan wants that curve to be upward. Can he get a thick skin if it’s a downhill spiral? Gautam Gambhir is not a thick-skinned person at all. The ride won’t be the easiest.
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