Shahid Afridi (L) and Gautam Gambhir© AFP
Gautam Gambhir was appointed the new Indian cricket team head coach following the end of Rahul Dravid‘s tenure after the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. Gambhir will start from the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka with the new head coach all set to recruit a completely new support staff for the national side. Former Pakistan cricket team skipper Shahid Afridi said that it was a huge opportunity for Gambhir and praised him for ‘talking positively’ and his ‘straightforward’ approach to the sport.
“I think it’s a big opportunity, and we need to see how he makes the most of it. I have seen his interviews, and he talks positively and is very straightforward,” Afridi said on Star Sports.
Legendary South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn was quite pleased with Gambhir’s appointment and he said that he is a fan of Gambhir’s aggression.
“I’m a big fan of Gautam Gambhir. I love his aggression. He’s one of the few Indians I ever played against who came back at you, and I like that. I think he’s going to take that into the dressing room with guys like Virat and some of the other senior players who might not play as big a part anymore. I’m not too sure,” Steyn told Star Sports.
“Not just in India, but in world cricket, we need guys who are a little bit more aggressive and play the game a little bit harder. We all seem to play in the leagues against each other, and we become quite friendly and friends. I like the way that he’s fierce on the field but a gentleman off the field. He’s also streetwise, a very smart cricketer, and has a great cricket brain. So I think from that point of view, he’s going to be fantastic for them too,” he added.
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