New Delhi: Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes commented that Indian men’s cricket team will become stronger under newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir. The South African stylish fielder noted how the former Indian top order batter had made impact in his various stints of coaching.
Gambhir took over the head coach role for the Men in Blue from Rahul Dravid in July after the latter’s decision to not continue despite India’s T20 World Cup triumph.
In Gambhir’s first assignment as the head coach on the Sri Lanka tour, India swept the T20I series 3-0 but lost the three-match ODI series 2-0, it was the first ODI series loss against their Asian rivals in 27 years.
However, based on the 42-year-old’s IPL coaching with Lucknow Super Giants (2022-2023) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2024, IPL 2024 champions), Jonty Rhodes is of the opinion that the Indian team will be much stronger under Gambhir’s watch.
“Wherever GG (Gautam Gambhir) goes he makes an impact, we saw this when he left the Lucknow Super Giants and went to the Kolkata Knight Riders the impact that he had,” Rhodes told PTI videos at the Pro Cricket League launch event on Saturday.
“He is very much a hands-on guy and is certainly somebody who knows what he wants and speaks his own mind. Gambhir leaves no stone unturned, and now that he has taken over the reigns of the Indian team, they will go from strength to strength,” he added.
Jonty Rhodes says Zaheer Khan is technically very sound after LSG appointment
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan was recently appointed mentor of Lucknow Super Giants, filling the post vacated by Gambhir after IPL 2023. Zaheer, who served multiple roles in Mumbai Indians coaching staff with the latest of head of global development, will double his responsibility as bowling coach at LSG following Morne Morkel’s departure to join Gambhir’s support staff with the Indian national side.
Jonty Rhodes, who worked as the fielding coach of Mumbai Indians for nine years until 2017, explained how Zaheer will be key in LSG’s dugout after working with the Indian both as a player and coach.
“A calm cricketing mind is what you need at the IPL level, especially in the dugout scenario. You need people with calm heads because it gets very tense,” Jonty said.
“If emotions start to get the better of you it impacts everybody sitting in the dug-out or on the field. In such situations, it is great to have someone like Zak (Zaheer), because he brings the skills and the knowledge, and he also brings the mojo. We have worked together at Mumbai Indians and he is technically very sound indeed,” he added.
Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes commented that Indian men’s cricket team will become stronger under newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir. The South African stylish fielder noted how the former Indian top order batter had made impact in his various stints of coaching. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
