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Former South Africa's star cricketer Jonty Rhodes knows how Gautam Gambhir operates when it comes to mentorship and coaching. Rhodes has had the opportunity to work closely with Gambhir during their time together on the coaching staff of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2022 and 2023. During his time with the former India captain, Gambhir was LSG's mentor while he himself being team's fielding coach. Gambhir’s tenure with the Lucknow Super Giants concluded after IPL 2023, as he moved on to join the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In contrast, Jonty Rhodes has continued in his role with the Lucknow Super Giants. Following his time with the KKR, Gambhir was appointed as India's head coach. Recently, Jonty Rhodes shared his thoughts on Gambhir's coaching approach, highlighting the former India opener's deep passion for the game and his relentless drive for his team to succeed.
Jonty Rhodes on Gautam Gambhir's coaching method
Jonty, at the launch of Pro Cricket League launch in Delhi, where he will be tournament's brand ambassador, talked about Gambhir's coaching style, and also underlined his unwavering passion for the game. He noted that Gambhir is known for his strict approach, as he consistently demands excellence from his players and is not inclined to be lenient with anyone.
"It is fascinating because, you know, I only had the one season with GG at LSG where he was the mentor and and KL had a very bad thigh strain halfway through the tournament. So, GG certainly was a lot more from a mentor point of view. Got a lot more in involved with decision-making, what was going on," Rhodes said.
"And I know how passionate he is. You know, he looks for excellence on and off the field, but he doesn't expect players to do something that he never did or he won't do. So. I think from that point of view, he's somebody who's not gonna be lenient with anybody unless it's required because he's expecting. He just wants excellence. I mean, he wants the team to win, and it's not for his record or for what he can achieve," Rhodes added.
'Every team that he's involved in, Gambhir's wanted to win desperately'
Gautam Gambhir has coached India in two series against Sri Lanka so far. India won the T20I series 3-0 but lost the ODI series 0-2. This loss to a lower-ranked team was concerning, but Rhodes believes it is not a major problem. He thinks the Indian team will adapt to the new coaching under Gambhir and has the ability to succeed quickly.
"Every team that he's involved in, he's wanted to win desperately, and you see the way that he bats, the way that he captains. He's so passionate, so involved in the game. I think any time there's a change, whether it be the leadership from a captaincy point of view or from a coach and management, it's going to take an adjustment," Rhodes further stated.
"So you know, once they find their feet, we know India has the strength and the talent pool and the depth of talent to certainly allow him to hit the ground and pick up speed very quickly in his coaching career," Rhodes concluded.
Gambhir's next big challenge will be India's busy Test schedule, which will see them playing a two-match Test series against Bangladesh and then locking horns with New Zealand. The 2024 year will culminate with a high-octane Border-Gavaskar Trophy for India where they will be hoping to secure a hat-trick of Test series victory on Australian soil.
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