Indian cricket fans have often wondered why Gautam Gambhir does not smile on the pitch and maintains a serious face while a match is on.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor, who has had a season to remember in IPL 2024, has been the talk of the town, after his team's accomplishments in the league stage. KKR have finished the group stage of IPL 2024 as table-toppers.
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To top it off, Gambhir has also been approached by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take over the position of the Head Coach of the Indian National Team.
The Delhi-born mentor talked about his on-field mentality and mood, while he is in the dugouts, plying his trade for his franchise.
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What did Gautam Gambhir have to say about his in-game on-field mood and persona?
Recently Gambhir appeared on Ravichandran Ashwin's podcast, the 'Kutti Stories' where he opened up on why he wears the intense look while playing or being on the dugout as mentors of various IPL teams.
He said,
You know, he doesn't smile, he doesn't laugh, he is always intense, he's always grumpy, he's always walking on the edge, he always has the game face on. People don't come to watch me smile, they come to watch me win.
Gambhir added,
That's the kind of profession we are in, I can't help it. I'm not in entertainment, I'm not a Bollywood actor, not in corporate, I'm a cricketer. I'm into performing art. My job is that I want to come back in a winning dressing room, Gambhir told Ravi Ashwin.
Unfortunately or fortunately, a winning dressing room is a happy dressing room. And I have all the right to fight for myself, and for my teammates and do everything possible within the spirit of the game to try and beat the opposition. That is all I have learned how to do and I will do till the last day of my life, Gautam Gambhir opined while on podcast.
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What next for Gautam Gambhir and KKR?
After finishing at the top of the points table in group stage, Gautam Gambhir's KKR will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Qualifier 1 clash. The face-off is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21. The match will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The winner of the game will get the ticket to Chennai, to play the IPL Final. The loser will get another chance to fight for a place in the final.