‘When the father is strict, the children have to be a little careful’ – Aakash Chopra shares views on Gautam Gambhir as India’s next head coach

Gautham Gambhir ( Source : IPL )

Aakash Chopra said that Gautam Gambhir could be a great choice for the role of India’s head coach if the team are to go through a transition phase during his tenure. However, if there are a lot of seniors on the side, Chopra isn’t too sure how effective Gambhir’s strict methods will be.

Reports had recently emerged of legendary cricketers like Stephen Fleming, Ricky Ponting, and Justin Langer being approached by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to spearhead India after current head coach Rahul Dravid’s tenure ends post next month’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. However, the foreign coaches haven’t shown much enthusiasm as far as taking the challenging opportunity is concerned. Meanwhile, former India cricketer and current Kolkata Knight Riders mentor, Gambhir, has reportedly joined the fray for being the future head coach of India.

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Chopra lauded Gambhir’s strong personality and said that he wouldn’t be a bad choice as India’s next head coach. However, he wasn’t sure how the senior players would react to his stern coaching strategies.

“Not a bad choice, there is no doubt about that, because he is a straightforward person. He knows how to manage and build a team. I really rate him high when it comes to the auction. However, there will be no auction for the Indian team. Gautam Gambhir, the coach, is a very strong personality,” Chopra said while speaking on his official YouTube channel.

“When there is a transition, a new captain is coming, then yes. However, if the team has a lot of seniors already, I will be a little wary because Gauti’s style of working is almost like a strict father. When the father is strict, the children have to be a little careful,” the former India opener added.

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Gambhir captained KKR to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. As a mentor, he took Lucknow Super Giants to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. Ahead of the 2024 season, the diminutive cricketer returned to KKR but this time as a mentor. He has helped the Kolkata-based franchise to finish on top of the points table after the league stage for the first time.