SUDNEY: Former Australian pacer Brett Lee has backed new Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir to succeed with the Blues as the team is “in safe hands” with him.
Gambhir was recently announced as India’s head coach by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title since 2014.
The white-ball series, which begins on July 27, will be Gambhir’s first assignment in India. Lee believes the former batsman is someone who can keep the team united and build a solid structure.
“Every time he got an opportunity, he [Gautam Gambhir] did a great job. The best example is the Indian Premier League title with KKR. He was always there, always at the top of his game. He will find a way to unite his players and bring his team together,” Lee told the Times of India.
“He builds a solid structure. He was a great player and his aggression and winning attitude will help India. He shone internationally as a player. India are in safe hands with Gautam Gambhir as coach. Congratulations to Rahul for finishing high.”
Earlier today, it was reported that Gambhir wants Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma to feature in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka starting on August 2.
The reason Gambhir wants the three senior players to feature in the Sri Lanka series is that India will have a six-week break after the matches as they then face Bangladesh in the home Test series in Chennai on September 19.
Conversely, another senior member of the Indian cricket team, Hardik Panya, will miss the Sri Lanka series due to personal issues.
The Indian squads for the Sri Lanka series are likely to be announced today.
