"I want to call him 'Relaxed Rancho'...": Ashwin praises Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir. Pic/AFP

Team India's all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin hailed newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir for his relaxed approach which has helped to maintain a lively environment in the dressing room.

He also feels that Gautam Gambhir will be well-loved by the current and future team members.

Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel opened up about his experience of working with Gambhir during the first Test match against Bangladesh.

In the recently concluded Test match, Ravichandran Ashwin scored a century and also snapped six wickets which helped India secure a 280-run victory over Bangladesh.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin highlighted the differences between the Gambhir-led and Dravid-led dressing rooms, appreciating the effectiveness of both coaches.

"I think he is very relaxed. I want to call him 'relaxed rancho'. There's no pressure at all. In the morning, there will be a team huddle. He is very relaxed about that as well. He will be like 'are you coming, please come'. It's like that.," Ashwin said on his Youtube channel.

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"With Rahul bhai, as soon as we come, he wanted things in order: even a bottle should be kept at a particular place at a particular time. He is very regimented. He wanted things in order," he added.

"With Gambhir, he doesn't expect all that. He has a relaxed order. He will be a people's man. He will capture everybody's heart. I think he will be loved by the boys," he said.

Also praising Rohit Sharma's leadership, Ashwin remarked, "Also, Rohit is a very good leader who works well with everybody. Even when he is leading the side, we can see that. He is very calm and composed as a leader."

Gautam Gambhir's stint as a head coach began after Rahul Dravid's tenure which ended after T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. Dravid chose not to reapply for the head coach position, and the BCCI announced Gambhir as his successor in June.

Gambhir's first assignment saw mixed results, with India winning the T20I series but losing the ODI series in Sri Lanka.

The Chennai Test, the first of India's 10-match run in the upcoming season, provided a significant boost of confidence for Gambhir and his support staff.

Ashwin's all-round performance was a highlight, but the team also benefited from Ravindra Jadeja's gritty 86 in the first innings. Ashwin and Jadeja combined for a 199-run partnership, rescuing India from a precarious 144 for 6 and propelling them to a commanding 376.

India continued to dominate with Jasprit Bumrah's brilliant bowling, which dismissed Bangladesh for 149. In the second innings, comeback players Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill each scored a century, further solidifying India's position.

Ashwin's praise for Gambhir and the positive results from the Chennai Test bode well for India's upcoming season.

(With ANI Inputs)