The Real Reason behind Gautam Gambhir’s On-Field Aggression, According to Dinesh Karthik

Chennai: Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik praised head coach Gautam Gambhir's display of aggression, stating that it has always been in protection of his players. Karthik emphasized that Gambhir's aggression is never unjustified and the players under his guidance will benefit from it.

“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. 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,” 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,” Karthik added. With Bangladesh riding high on confidence having trumped Pakistan in their backyard for a historic 2-0 win, Karthik said the going will remain tough for the Tigers against India.

“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 said. “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 said. Karthik said India’s grit and resilience will make the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting on November 22 at Perth, a “wonderful series to watch”.

“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 added.