Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Friday hailed Gautam Gambhir, the frontrunner to succeed Rahul Dravid as India head coach, as a “fighter” and motivator par excellence, who gave him confidence in the nascent stages of his Test career.
Ashwin recalled his talks with Gambhir during his first full series for India against New Zealand in 2012.
“I was playing my first full series. I only carried drinks during the first two years before the World Cup (in 2011). He gave me a lot of confidence at the beginning (of his career). I was not used to someone beyond my state (Tamil Nadu) giving me that sort of confidence,” said Ashwin while launching his book — I Have the Streets – A Kutti Cricket Story.
The 37-year-old said the former Indian opener was often misunderstood because of his candid nature.
“Gautam Gambhir is a very misunderstood person. It’s all about perception. He is a fighter.
“The biggest issue with many of us is that we give hero status to someone in our mind and forget about everyone else. This is a sport, not a movie narrative.
“There are no heroes and villains. Gambhir is a competitor. His desire and hunger to win is unbelievable. I have massive respect (for him),” he added.
Earlier, Gautam Gambhir in a chat with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, had said that he does not want to please everyone when asked about not smiling enough
“I don’t see I cannot please everyone in this country and I don’t even intend to please everyone. I don’t even want everyone to know me the kind of person I am. For me people who matter to me, they should know the kind of person I am the kind of thoughts I have, what kind of a human being whether I’m emotional, whether sometimes I’m restless, as well, but that’s the kind of person I am. And so, I have never ever thought about what people are talking about me. Or that misconception or perception. It’s up to them. They can talk whatever they want to unless you don’t know me, you should not. If I don’t know someone, I’d never make a perception about someone so they have all the right to do whatever they want,” Gambhir had told Ashwin on his YouTube chat show ‘Kutti Stories with Ash’.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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