In a wide-ranging chat with Sports Yaari, cricketer Ramandeep Singh speaks about dressing-room gold, modern-day leadership, and the complex thought processes of the absolute best in the business. Read on as he reveals the minds of the cricketing elite.

From cricketing gurus to iconic rivalries, Ramandeep Singh dishes on what makes the best players in the world tick.

And from dressing-room magic to the leadership qualities of modern-day stars, here's what the former India Under-19 star has to say about the minds behind the bat and ball.

Ramandeep Singh on Gautam Gambhir and the Winning Culture

When asked about the influence of Gautam Gambhir, Ramandeep did not hesitate to compliment his unique leadership style. Describing the dressing room culture under Gambhir's captaincy as one of the best he has been a part of.

“His leadership quality is unmatched by anyone else, so it is very difficult to compete with him…Replicating that winning atmosphere in the dressing room is tough but that is always the goal.”

Gambhir's approach is all about a fighting spirit. It is all about knowing your potential and giving a hundred percent irrespective of the level of the opposition while completely shunning the idea of ​​accepting defeat.

Leadership Styles: Dhoni, Rohit and Shreyas

The chat then veered on to a discussion of some of India's most successful captains:

MS Dhoni: An ultimate match winner, Dhoni's tactical genius comes to the fore in the final overs. Ramandeep had some interesting observations about Dhoni's mindset: “When the match goes to the last over, his match is no longer with the team; it is just between him and the bowler. He always gives himself the upper hand.”

Rohit Sharma: Nicknamed the bowler's captain for his ability to extract 100 per cent out of his bowlers, Rohit is someone who knows how to get the best out of his players. Giving bowlers the freedom to set fields and plans according to their strengths allows him to get the best out of his batters and bowlers.

Shreyas Iyer: One of the best captains that Ramandeep has had the opportunity to play under, Shreyas shares a similar fighting spirit in his captaincy style. Keeping focus on the potential within his team and not being distracted by external factors, Iyer believes in the power of determination and aggression.

Ramandeep Singh on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers

Going more in-depth into his T20 prowess, Ramandeep spoke about his interactions with Virat Kohli. Discussing Kohli's champion mindset, Ramandeep mentioned how no target is unattainable when Kohli is on strike. While batting first sets out a different approach to the game, Kohli's sharp mind when chasing down targets, knowing exactly how to pace the innings and the required run rate, is something he looks up to.

In a light-hearted quick-fire round, the chat came on to the topic of choosing the best players in a hypothetical scenario. The discussion eventually narrowed down to a choice between Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, where Ramandeep spoke about his preference for de Villiers: “his intent and the way he wins matches is incredible…I always try to learn from that.”