Gautam Gambhir secured his first victory as the head coach of the Indian team after they triumphed over New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy final. Taking over from Rahul Dravid after India’s T20 World Cup 2024 win, Gambhir faced some criticism, particularly regarding red-ball cricket results. However, he silenced critics by leading India to their second Champions Trophy title. Amidst the victory celebrations at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, a memorable moment occurred between Gambhir and Navjot Singh Sidhu, former Indian cricketer.
Sidhu, famous for his eloquent speeches and poetry, especially during commentary, watched as Gambhir turned poet in front of him, creating a captivating scene.
“Learn the skill of crushing the ego…”, Gambhir started, and Sidhu completed the verse, “…snakes’ fear shouldn’t make you abandon the jungle.”
Sidhu praised Gambhir in a social media post, saying the recited Shayari was meaningful and indicated Gambhir’s lasting presence. He wished Gambhir and the Indian team well, acknowledging Gambhir for making India proud.
Following this, Sidhu playfully challenged Gambhir to perform Bhangra, but Gambhir humorously declined. Although Gambhir posed for a Bhangra photo, he refrained from dancing despite Sidhu’s repeated encouragement.
After the match, Indian captain Rohit Sharma commended Gambhir, expressing gratitude for supporting his desired aggressive play style and the mindset he aimed to instill in the team.
Rohit admitted that the aggressive approach wasn’t his natural game but something he wanted to adopt. He emphasized the importance of team and management support in trying new strategies. He mentioned discussing this approach with Rahul Dravid during the ODI World Cup and now with Gautam Gambhir. Rohit highlighted that the backing from the team and management is crucial for implementing his vision of playing differently and achieving desired outcomes.
