“His aggression has generally come out in protection of his players” – Dinesh Karthik on head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of IND-BAN 2024 Tests

India’s former wicket-keeper bat Dinesh Karthik feels Gautam Gambhir’s aggression has generally come up in the protection of his players. Gambhir, the new Indian head coach, is known to take the bull by its horns and he is known to adopt an aggressive approach.

Gambhir kicked off his coaching campaign with a 3-0 T20I series win against Sri Lanka but the team suffered a 2-0 loss in the ODI series.

Karthik said on the sidelines of League Legends Cricket, “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. 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.”

Gambhir will begin his red-ball stint with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh and the team will look to deliver as a unit. Karthik said it will be interesting to note how Gambhir will handle the challenges of the red-ball format.

“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. 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.

Meanwhile, India last lost a Test series at home back in 2012 against England and they have been unbeaten in the last 17 series. Karthik admitted India in home conditions is a different kettle of fish.

“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. 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.”

However, Karthik reckons the Border-Gavaskar series in Australia will be a challenge for Rohit Sharma’s men.

“The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be a challenge for India. The current Australian team is in great form and is a well-oiled unit. It’s no fluke that they won the World Test Championship. It will be tough for India, but given their resilience, it will be a wonderful series to watch,” he concluded.

The opening Test match between India and Bangladesh will be played at the Chepauk Stadium, Chennai from September 19.