Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded Gautam Gambhir, the frontrunner to replace Rahul Dravid as India’s head coach, describing him as a “fighter” whose unparalleled drive to win is truly remarkable.

At the launch of his book, ‘I Have the Streets – A Kutti Cricket Story,’ Ashwin recalled about his interactions with Gambhir during Ashwin’s first full Test series for India, which took place against New Zealand in 2012.

“As I played my first full series, I had only carried drinks for the first two years leading up to the 2011 World Cup. However, Gautam’s strong show of confidence in me at the start of my career was quite unusual, as I was not accustomed to receiving such encouragement from someone outside my home state (Tamil Nadu),” Ashwin remarked.

Gautam Gambhir is the leading candidate to succeed Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, with Dravid’s tenure set to conclude in June. Gambhir recently attended an interview conducted by the BCCI Cricket Advisory Committee for the coveted position, alongside fellow candidates WV Raman and an unnamed overseas player..

The 37-year-old spinner claimed that Gambhir is widely misunderstood due to his candid and outspoken nature.

“Gautam Gambhir is often misunderstood. It’s all about perception. He is a fierce competitor driven by an unbelievable desire and hunger to win. Many of us make the mistake of elevating certain players to ‘hero’ status in our minds, while overlooking the nuances and complexities of their personalities and actions. However, this is a sport, not a movie narrative – there are no true heroes or villains, only competitors striving for victory. He is a fighter. Despite the common misconceptions, I have massive respect for Gambhir’s relentless spirit and commitment,” he continued.

The BCCI has yet not confirmed Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach. However, Gambhir may not officially assume the position until mid-July, when India travel to Sri Lanka for a white ball series. VVS Laxman, the director of the National Cricket Academy, is likely to serve as head coach for India’s tour of Zimbabwe following the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, according to reports.