‘He was a khadoos kind of a player’ – Rohit Sharma opens up on Gautam Gambhir’s temperament during playing days

Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

While Rahul Dravid has always been widely distinguished for his calm demeanor as a player or head coach, the same cannot be said about India’s current head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir, who was appointed the head coach in July this year, has always been known as someone possessing a stern and no-nonsense attitude, be it in any walk of the cricketing sphere.

Indian Test and ODI skipper, Rohit Sharma, recently spoke on Gambhir’s mental fortitude as a player, hinting that he brings the same kind of dogged nature into his coaching.

“We have seen a change in coaching. Earlier, Rahul bhai was there. Now, Gautam Gambhir is our coach. He was a Khadoos (stubborn) kind of a player. He played some great innings in tough matches,” stated Rohit, as quoted by NDTV Sports.

While khadoos may seem to carry a negative connotation with the way the term is used in everyday language, it essentially means being obstinate and taking pride in the way one plays in a positive and almost resolute manner. It is a term which is often used in the fraternity of Mumbai cricket. Rohit, himself, could be rightfully tagged as a khadoos cricketer.

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For that, I will say whatever I have to say: Rohit

Rohit is also associated with using different kinds of slang on the field to keep players motivated during intense situations.

“My job is to play and bring out the best from others. For that, I will say whatever I have to say. The atmosphere in the Indian dressing room is such that everyone is motivated,” added Rohit.

The partnership between Gambhir and Rohit did not get off to a great start, as they went onto lose their first series together as a coach-captain duo against Sri Lanka.

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However, their alliance in the Test arena has got off to a positive start. India lead the two-match series against Bangladesh by a 1-0 margin.