Gautam Gambhir, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) coach, has repeatedly faced criticism for "not smiling" and always having a "game face on," and now the former India opener, who is well-known for his grim visage, has turned heads with his daring statement.
Gambhir, who was regarded as an aggressive player during his playing career, continues to think in the same way even after taking over as mentor of KKR, who have qualified for the playoffs.
Gambhir, who won both the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 World Cup with the Indian team, said he is not a Bollywood actor thus his job is just to win the match and create a winning environment in the dressing room.
Gambhir said fans don't come to the stadium to see him smile but rather to watch their team win.
"I don't understand. You know sometimes when people talk about he doesn't smile, he doesn't laugh, he is always intense, he is always grumpy, he is walking on the edge, he always has the game face on. People don't come to watch me smile. People come to watch me win. That's the kind of profession we guys are in. I can't help it," Gambhir said on Ashwin's YouTube channel.
In response to questions about his passionate demeanor, Gambhir said he is not in entertainment.
"I am not in entertainment. I am not a Bollywood actor and I am not in corporate. I am a cricketer. My job is I want to come back in a winning dressing room. And fortunately, unfortunately, a winning dressing room is a happy dressing room, I have all the right to fight for myself, to fight for my teammates, and do everything possible within the spirit of the game to try and beat the opposition," Gambhir added.
"Some people say he is too hard and he plays in a certain way. Yes, I do because it helps me perform to the best of my ability. That's my characteristic because for me, it's an obsession, and I'm obsessed with winning. What's wrong with that? I'm actually obsessed with winning that that's the problem I have," said the KKR mentor.
Gambhir will be seen in the KKR dugout on May 21, 2024, as his team takes on SRH in Qualifier 1 for a chance to make it into the final of the IPL 17.
(ANI inputs)
