Venkatesh Iyer reveals only way to make Gautam Gambhir smile

In a recent discussion, Venkatesh Iyer shed light on what exactly would make current Indian head coach and former Kolkata Knight Riders mentor, Gautam Gambhir, smile and break character from his usual solemn demeanour. Interestingly, Gambhir has almost always been spotted keeping a straight and serious face irrespective of being on the field or off it.

Iyer shared the only scenario which was capable of drawing a smile on Gambhir's face. He however revealed the lighthearted spirit of Gambhir off the field.

"Very tough to make GG sir smile. He only smiles when we win. But it's just his game face as you know he is very intense and is a fierce competitor and that's why he is regarded as one of the most competitive cricketers or minds of Indian cricket. Off the field, he (Gambhir) himself is such a fun-loving guy, and he is the one who makes everyone laugh, you know. Sometimes, it's difficult to comprehend that he is the same guy who sits out there (during a match) with a fierce look," stated Iyer in a conversation with Revsportz.

There have been multiple instances in the past where Gambhir has been involved in fiery duels with players and match officials while present on the sidelines. The most distinguished incidents were his heated encounters with former Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper, Virat Kohli, during IPL 2013 and IPL 2023.      

Gambhir eyes first silverware as India coach

Speaking of Gambhir's coaching stint with India, the former World Cup winner will be targeting to seize the Champions Trophy 2025 trophy on Sunday, March 9. The Men in Blue will be up against New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 

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It wasn't a pleasant start to his tenure with the Indian bowling unit. The 2-1 loss to Sri Lanka in the ODI format was followed by a whitewash to the Black Caps. Things worsened when India were humbled by a 3-1 in their 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.