Gambhir was named India's head coach after Dravid’s tenure ended earlier this year.
Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin heaped praise on Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir for their unwavering dedication to Indian cricket, calling their enthusiasm "palpable."
Under Dravid’s guidance as head coach, Team India won the Asia Cup 2024 and reached the final of the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup last year but failed to cross final hurdles, losing to Australia on both occasions.
However, Dravid’s coaching tenure ended with an ICC trophy as Rohit Sharma and his men clinched the T20 World Cup 2024 title in the Caribbean in June.
Gambhir was appointed to take over the reins after Dravid’s term concluded. His stint with the Men in Blue began on a bitter-sweet note as India blanked Sri Lanka 3-0 in T20Is but lost the ODIs 0-2.
In his maiden Test assignment, Gambhir guided the Indian team to 2-0 series win over Bangladesh at home. Having said that, he has a long road with stern challenges ahead.
Speaking on JioCinema, Ashwin emphasized that there are no major differences between Gambhir and Dravid's strategies or the passion they exhibit for Indian cricket.
"I was seeing some posts about 'Gamball' - someone had shared something about it, which was interesting. But look, the coaches are here for the welfare of the team, and I don't see huge differences in how they approach the game or the passion they have for Indian cricket. Their passion is at the highest level. I mean, they bring an incredible amount of love to that dressing room," Ashwin said.
"I feel a bit sheepish saying this, but I played with Gauti Bhai and Rahul Bhai, and they've been my coaches in that dressing room. Their passion for Indian cricket is palpable, and it's amazing to witness. To have them pass on their knowledge, it's like having two cricketing geeks to talk cricket with, and I couldn't be happier or more at ease," he added.
After winning the Test series, India will now engage in a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh and then host New Zealand for three Tests this month.