Former India wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik who has played cricket alongside Gautam Gambhir has backed his on-field aggression. He reckoned that Gambhir's aggression come out in protection of his players and many players enjoy that. Gambhir is currently with team India as head coach and preparing with Rohit Sharma & Co. for the first Test match against Bangladesh which is scheduled to start from September 19.
Fans often witnessed the former LSG mentor Gambhir getting angry on the field and the most recent was his on-field verbal spat with Virat Kohli during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 in a match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants.
Karthik said Gambhir’s aggression is never unwarranted, something that the players under his tutelage will enjoy.
"His aggression has generally come out in protection of his players and that is something the current lot of players will enjoy. Knowing him, he is not someone who gets angry for the heck of it," Karthik told reporters on the sidelines of a Legends League Cricket event.
"I'm sure he will have his turn with strong words for whoever it is required, and it is in his best interest to get the best out of the players,” he added.
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Dinesh Karthik on Gautam Gambhir's red ball assignment
Karthik, however, said lacking coaching experience in Test cricket could be on Gambhir’s mind as he enters his first assignment with the opening match against Bangladesh starting here on Thursday.
"He has been a part of numerous T20 tournaments. But this Test series will be completely new for him as a coach and it must be playing at the back of his mind. He is someone who has navigated through tough waters. He's got the acumen to understand the pulse of the game, which is extremely important as a coach. He is at a very early stage as a coach, so it will be interesting how it pans out. However, I have confidence that he will deliver on all aspects. So far, it has worked well for him,” Karthik added.
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