Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, who currently serves as a commentator and pundit, recently discussed the dynamic he had with current India head coach Gautam Gambhir during their playing days.
Chopra and Gambhir began their careers at the turn of the century, both representing the Delhi Ranji Trophy team. Their international journeys commenced around the same time, with Chopra making his Test debut in 2003 and Gambhir following suit a year later.
In a candid revelation, the former cricketer shed light on his relationship with Gambhir during their time on the field, stating that despite their shared history, Gambhir was not a close friend.
During an interview on Raj Shamanis YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra shared insights into the competitive nature of the Delhi Ranji Trophy team in the past. Chopra mentioned that in order to include Shikhar Dhawan in the team, the renowned Indian opener Virender Sehwag had to adjust and bat at the number 4 position.
"We (me and Gambhir) are competitors because we were fighting for one place. Our team was very good. When we were playing, only one of (Virat) Kohli and (Shikhar) Dhawan got the chance to play. The team was like that. In fact, there was no place for even Viru (Virender Sehwag) to open the batting. Viru batted at four so that we can accommodate one of Shikhar and Virat at 3.
"We were competitors to begin with. He wasn't a friend, to be honest. (But he was a) very passionate guy, very hard working, and very serious about his craft. He scored a lot of runs. He always wore his heart on the sleeve, was extremely passionate, and could short-fuse very quickly in terms of temperament."
Following a disappointing ODI series loss in Sri Lanka, Gautam Gambhir's second assignment as India's coach will be the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which begins in Chennai on September 19th.
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