Suryakumar Yadav praises Gautam Gambhir's coaching style
What's the story
Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav has praised Gautam Gambhir's coaching style, crediting it to the positive and player-friendly atmosphere in the T20 team.
At a pre-match press conference in Kolkata on Tuesday, Yadav stressed on Gambhir's distinct style of mentoring and handling players.
"I've played under Gambhir for four years, so I know how he works," Yadav said. He also recalled their time at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Coaching impact
Yadav highlights Gambhir's unspoken influence
Yadav emphasized Gambhir's impact is still felt even when he is not around with the team. This was the case during the South Africa tour when Gambhir was occupied training with the Test team.
"Even without speaking to him, we know what we need to do," Yadav said.
He also lauded Gambhir's coaching style, saying he gives players freedom and keeps things simple, which keeps the atmosphere light in the team.
Captaincy role
Yadav to lead India in T20I series against England
Yadav, who rose to fame for his innovative shots and impactful cameos as a lower-order batsman during his time with KKR, will now lead India in the upcoming five-match T20I series against England.
The first match will be played on Wednesday at Eden Gardens.
Looking back at his journey and the opportunity to lead the national side, Yadav said he was excited and nostalgic about his time at Eden Gardens under Gambhir's captaincy.
Team dynamics
Yadav dismisses rumors of rift between Sharma and Gambhir
Amid recent social media speculation of a possible discord between Test and ODI skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Gambhir, Yadav dismissed the rumors.
He emphasized that the team is focused on their upcoming challenges.
Meanwhile, despite a string of setbacks in the Test format, including a historic series whitewash by New Zealand in the subcontinent and Australia reclaiming the Border Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years with a 3-1 series win, India remains resilient under Gambhir's guidance.