'He's got a really good cricket brain' - Jacques Kallis shares his thoughts on Gautam Gambhir’s head coach appointment

The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) recently announced that former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir will be the new head coach of the Indian team. Gambhir will take over the reins from Rahul Dravid, whose tenure ended after the T20 World Cup 2024.

Gambhir’s announcement was made official by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, and former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis came forward to laud Gambhir for his excellent cricketing brain. He also earmarked the former batter to succeed as India’s head coach. 

Kallis also wished Gambhir luck for his stint as India’s head coach and hoped that he would help the Men in Blue reach greater heights. 

"It's great to see Gautam getting into the coaching side of things. He's got a really good cricket brain. He'll bring some fire and loves playing the game aggressively. I think he'll bring that added touch, and the guys will certainly learn a lot from him. He's got a lot to add and will bring significant value to that Indian side. I wish him all the best--not too much against us, but I'm sure he'll do a fantastic job," Kallis told Star Sports.

I'm a big fan of Gautam Gambhir: Dale Steyn

Furthermore, former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn recently came forward to heap praise on Gautam Gambhir as well. Steyn lauded Gambhir’s aggressiveness on the pitch and opined that he will be taking that mindset into the dressing room and helping the players even further. 

"I'm a big fan of Gautam Gambhir. I love his aggression. He's one of the few Indians I ever played against who came back at you, and I like that. I think he's going to take that into the dressing room with guys like Virat and some of the other senior players who might not play as big a part anymore. I'm not too sure," Steyn said.

"Not just in India, but in world cricket, we need guys who are a little bit more aggressive and play the game a little bit harder. We all seem to play in the leagues against each other, and we become quite friendly and friends,” Steyn added.