India head coach Gautam Gambhir is quite outspoken in nature and never shies away from expressing his emotions. His blunt and aggressive demeanor often draw him criticism.
However, former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik reckons Gambhir's aggressive behavior usually come out to protect his players.
According to Karthik, Gambhir's approach will benefit the team as he emphasized that the chief coach does not display anger unnecessarily.
"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.
Gambhir was named the head coach after Rahul Dravid’s tenure ended with the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph in June. 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.
Having said that, Gambhir has a long road with stern challenges ahead. His next assignment with the Indian team is the home Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19 in Chennai.
Karthik highlighted that Gambhir is inexperienced in coaching in Test cricket, which may be a cause of concern for him against Bangladesh.
"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," Karthik said. "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," he added.
Karthik spoke about the India-Bangladesh Test series, mentioning the challenges for both teams. He noted Bangladesh's recent success against Pakistan but pointed out the difficulties of playing against the Indian team at home.
"It will start with a lot of confidence from Bangladesh. (For India) it's about understanding that they are playing a slightly different Bangladesh team," he Karthik.
"But, India in India is a different kettle of fish to beat. It's not going to be in any way as easy as compared to going outside and beating other countries in their backyard."
"Many teams have come to India and found it challenging and Bangladesh will also find its challenges in the next couple of weeks," he added.
India will play a total of 10 Tests in the next five months. The series against Bangladesh will be followed by three Tests against New Zealand at home in October-November and then five Test matches as part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Karthik also commented on India’s tour of Australia, predicting a tough competition. "The BGT will be a challenge for Team India. The current Australian team is in form and (is) a pretty well-oiled unit. It's not by chance that they won the World Test Championship," he said. "It will be tough for India. But considering the grit and resilience that India has, it will be a wonderful series to watch," he remarked.
(With TOI Inputs)
