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Tamim Iqbal warns Gautam Gambhir's 'real character' hasn't come out yet: ‘Let India have a bad game, then we will see’
Gautam Gambhir joined Team India as head coach in July, and oversaw a positive start in the longest format with India beating Bangladesh by 280 runs.
Gautam Gambhir's stint as Team India's head coach had a strong start, with India sweeping Sri Lanka 3-0 in his first series in charge. The side did lose the ODI series 0-2, exposing a major weakness in tackling spin, but India's return to red-ball format last week uplifted the spirits again. In Gambhir's first Test in charge of the side, India cruised to a 280-run win over Bangladesh in Chennai, solidifying their place at the top of the World Test Championship table.
India have a gruelling Test calendar in the ongoing cycle of the WTC; following the series against Bangladesh, India will host New Zealand for three Tests before travelling to Australia for the blockbuster Border-Gavaskar trophy. Additionally, Gambhir will also oversee India's T20I games against Bangladesh and South Africa before the tour Down Under.
IND vs BAN Live Score 2nd Test Day 1
Gambhir will be aiming to leave no stone unturned in keeping India's dominance intact, and ahead of the second Test, Parthiv Patel and Tamim Iqbal shared insights on the former India opener's stint as head coach.
With the toss for the second Test being delayed due to wet outfield, Patel opened up in detail about the positive feedback he received about Gambhir's handling of things in the Indian camp.
“You can get carried away because India got success under Rahul Dravid and Ravi Shastri. And there's a chance that you don't want to change. But at the same time, it's important that you bring your own way. And the stories coming out of the dressing room are that people are relaxed, and there's an intent of winning Test matches,” Patel told JioCinema.
“You tend to perform better with that, and there's no extra pressure. We all know, he is clear with his messaging. There's no grey area, it's either black or white. That's why India have been very sure about their approach.”
Tamim rings a warning bell
While Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh's celebrated opener, acknowledged that Gambhir is well capable for the job, he warned that India are yet to endure significant defeats under his tenure. Tamim stated that the “real character” of the man will only be revealed in how he tackles the losses.
“When you're winning, you don't know the real character of the man. It's only when you lose a series, then you lose another, that the real character comes out. No doubt, he is a capable man, but it's too early. Let India have a bad game, then we will see what comes out,” said the Bangladesh legend.
