Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Gautam Gambhir's appointment as India coach ft. Dale Steyn & Abhinav Mukund
Team India finally broke the long-standing suspense of their next head coach by confirming former cricketer Gautam Gambhir for the position on July 9. The now-42-year-old was among the most pivotal members of the Indian squad from the mid-2000s till the early 2010s.
Gambhir played a massive role in helping India reach the mountain top in Tests in 2010, finishing with 4,154 at an average of 41.95 in 58 red-ball games. The left-hander also top-scored for India in the finals of the 2007 and 2011 T20 and 50-over World Cup triumphs respectively.
Besides his international exploits, Gambhir also captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. The Delhi-born cricketer returned to the franchise as the Team mentor before the IPL 2024 season, helping them to a third title this year.
Such incredible credentials as a player, captain, and mentor made Gambhir the obvious choice to replace Rahul Dravid as India's next head coach. His appointment also drew reactions from several experts, including former cricketers.
Here are the top five expert reactions to Gambhir's appointment as India's next head coach.
#1 Andy Flower
Former Zimbabwean wicketkeeper Andy Flower backed India's decision to appoint Gautam Gambhir as the next coach, calling him a shrewd tactician and a proud Indian.
Before becoming KKR's mentor, Gambhir served the very role in the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) setup with Flower as the coach in IPL 2022 and 2023.
Flower told Sony Sports during the ongoing India-Zimbabwe T20I series:
"Well, the first thing he’s got to do is just give up his legends cricket at the moment. He’s quite a man Gautam Gambhir, I really enjoyed working with him. He’s got strong opinions, he’s got strong clear views on the game. He’s very decisive, he’s a very proud Indian, he loves Indian cricket and his position, representing Indian cricket. I think it’s a good appointment and I think he’s going to be successful."
Flower and Gambhir combined to help LSG qualify for the playoffs in both seasons (2022 and 2023).
Gambhir's first assignment as Team India coach will be the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, starting July 27.
#2 Dale Steyn
Former South African pacer Dale Steyn hailed Gautam Gambhir as one of the fiercest competitors from India during his playing days. The duo battled in several India-South Africa Tests that were closely fought in the pair of 1-1 drawn series in 2010.
Steyn told Star Sports:
"I am a big fan of Gautam Gambhir. I love his aggression. He is one of the few Indians that I have played against that kinda came back at you. And I liked that. I think that he has taken in the dressing room with guys like Virat Kohli and some of the other senior players might not play a big part anymore, I am not too sure. I don't want to say they are completely out."
He added:
"I like the way he's fierce on the field but he's a gentleman off the field. Then also a street wise and very smart cricketer and got a great cricket brain. So, I think from that point of view he's gonna be fantastic for them too."
Team India qualified for the World Test Championship (WTC) final twice in 2021 and 2023 but failed to produce the goods in the summit clash. Gambhir will hope to help the side break through and win the elusive WTC title next year.
#3 Graeme Smith
Former South African captain Graeme Smith was delighted to see tactically astute ex-players like Gambhir in the coaching sphere.
Smith captained the Proteas in all three of the above-mentioned drawn Test series involving Gambhir in his prime against India in 2010.
"Great to see guys like him going to the coaching side of things. He's got a really good cricket brain on him. He'll bring some fire. He loves playing the game aggressively. I think he will bring that added touch in that. The guys will certainly learn a lot from him and he's got a lot to add. He's gonna add a lot of value to the Indian side. I am sure he's gonna do a fantastic job and the players will certainly learn a lot from him," said Smith on Star Sports.
During his playing days, Gambhir enjoyed tremendous success against South Africa in Tests, especially in the Rainbow Nation.
The southpaw averaged 40.90 in six Tests against the Proteas but the average shot up to 60.50 in the two Tests in South Africa.
#4 Abhinav Mukund
Former Indian batter Abhinav Mukund felt Gautam Gambhir was the ideal choice as head coach, thanks to the youngsters looking up to him in admiration.
Gambhir has been renowned for his commentary on crediting up-and-coming players and contributions from the non-established stars from his playing days.
Mukund shared his thoughts on the move in a conversation on Sony Sports by saying:
"He’s a really good choice for the job. A lot of these younger players look upto him and respect him. He’s very astute on the field we’ve seen him as a captain but now more as a coach brought the team to success after 10 years. I’m sure he will be thinking I want to take this legacy forward. Won a world cup, let’s win a lot more in the next two or three years."
Having been a central figure in India's previous ODI World Cup win in 2011, Gambhir will look to leave his imprint by helping the side to glory in the 2027 50-over tournament.
#5 Jacques Kallis
Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis praised Gambhir's aggressiveness and cricketing brain and hailed the move to appoint him as India's head coach.
The duo have a long and successful history with KKR, with Gambhir as skipper and Kallis being an integral part of their title runs in 2012 and 2014.
"Great to see Gauti getting into the coaching side of things. He’s got a really good cricket brain on him. He’ll bring some fire. Loves playing the game aggressively. He’ll bring that added touch and the guys will learn a lot from him. He’s got a lot of add… he will add a lot of value to that Indian team," said Kallis as quoted by the Indian Express.
Gambhir also captained Team India in six ODIs in 2010 and 2011, averaging an incredible 90 with the bat scoring two centuries in those games.
The Men in Blue won all six outings, with five coming against New Zealand and one against the West Indies.