Ravichandran Ashwin Interview Gautam Gambhir: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor and former Team India opener Gautam Gambhir has given an interview to Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. In conversation with Ashwin, Gambhir expressed his views on many issues. Read important excerpts from the conversation between the two here.
On senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube show ‘Kutty Stories with Ash’, Gautam Gambhir said, “The big concern for me is how many youngsters want to play Test cricket for India. I hope that the IPL will be played for India.” “The shortcut (easy way) will not prove.”
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor admitted that Indian cricketers have benefited from IPL. He said, “In today’s era, when I look at the international T20 teams and when it comes to playing against India, apart from two-three teams, I do not see much competition. Many teams cannot match the strength of India. So, I think today IPL has become much more competitive than international T20 cricket.”
Gambhir further said, “The level of our domestic players has increased. The way they want to play IPL, the way they prepare for T20 cricket, I think their focus is more on playing T20 cricket.”
When asked about this, Gambhir, who usually has an aggressive expression on his face, said, “Many times people say about me that he does not smile or love. He always looks aggressive. But the truth is that people make me smile. People come to see me win. I am not a Bollywood actor. I am a cricketer.”
He further said, “My job is to make sure that I am in a dressing room that is consistently winning. Fortunately or unfortunately, there is more happiness in a dressing room that is consistently winning.”