'There is an aura around him' - Abhishek Nayar lauds Gautam Gambhir's winning mentality
Gautam Gambhir’s stature has risen massively since he mentored Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title this season. Several players credited him for their superior performances, and other staff members also lauded Gambhir’s job throughout the rubber.
Speaking on The Ranveer Show podcast, Abhishek Nayar, the assistant coach of KKR, talked about Gambhir’s winning mentality, and how he brings the best out of any player. Nayar feels there’s an aura around Gambhir, which helps players to push their limits.
“There’s a vibe with him that you have to bring your A-game out in terms of your commitment every single time. Whether you perform or not, your commitment has to be top-notch. Secondly, what he brings is a mystery when he is walking around. Like, he is not the loudest guy or whatever, but there is an aura around him that makes you feel that somehow it’s going to affect my mentality and make me a better player.”
“And I think that’s built over his cricketing career, how he pushed his limit to be the cricketer he is. That resonated with the mentor or coach Gautam Gambhir. When he walks around, whether you are good or not, somewhere you believe ‘If Gautam is saying, maybe I can do it’.”
Gautam Gambhir understands the player of every level: Abhishek Nayar
Adding to his point, Abhishek Nayar said many cricketers become coaches, but only a few of them excel in both their playing days and coaching tenure. Nayar also mentioned how Gautam Gambhir understands how to treat the players of every level as a mentor.
“Many cricketers become coaches, but to get that success as a coach is not easy. When you get it, and you have it as a top cricketer - it’s a very rare blend. You will get many half-cooked cricketers like me who become a good coach or aspire to become a good coach, but you will find very few top cricketers or legends in their own right who become good coaches and understand the players of every level.”
“He knows what a lower-level player requires and what a high-level player requires. He is gifted with it, and he has worked towards it. And that is something KKR benefits from, and hopefully, India benefits from.”
Abhishek has also praised Gautam Gambhir previously for his way of handling the players. Clearly, his presence was one of the biggest reasons for KKR’s immense success.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube.