India vs Afghanistan: Before the first T20I between the India national cricket team and the Afghanistan national cricket team, Shreyas Iyer opened up about his relationship with the Men in Blue head coach, Gautam Gambhir.
The Team India T20I skipper talked about Gambhir’s mentality. Despite working together only for a few months, Iyer and Gambhir are no strangers having won the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2024.
Shreyas Iyer Praises Gautam Gambhir’s Management Skills
Talking to the reporters on the eve of the first T20I between India and Afghanistan, Iyer talked about how Gambhir provides role clarity to each player. Iyer said, “He (Gambhir) builds a lot of trust and confidence within the team. And every player knows what their role is and has clarity. So, I think all these alignments are very much important when it comes to coaching skills.”
Talking about Gamhir’s management approach, the Indian T20I skipper said, “He has got an amazing one-on-one player management approach. So, that is essential going forward in the tournament when you have that kind of relationship with every player. Because all of us are different in our own ways and you need to understand a certain player.”
Shreyas Iyer Recalls Working With Gautam Gambhir in KKR
Shreyas Iyer believes that despite working with Gautam Gambhir in the IPL, the relationship between the duo at the international level will only grow with time. Since becoming the captain, Iyer and Gambhir have worked in two series in Ireland and England. Team India went on to lose each of the game in the series. This will be the first time Iyer will lead the Men in Blue at home.
While talking about the losing streak that India has suffered under Iyer and Gambhir, the T20I skipper said, “And the more matches we win, the more we would be getting to know each other closely. And I have worked with him in the past in KKR. So, I definitely know how his mind works and how his approach is going to be.”