Ever since Gautam Gambhir took up the role of India's head coach, the Men in Blue have been unstoppable, especially in white-ball formats. In Tests, it is still a work in progress, with stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin announcing their retirements to pave the way for youngsters. However, in limited-overs cricket, India have been a force to reckon with.
Under Gambhir's coaching, India have emerged victorious in multi-national tournaments like the Champions Trophy and
the Asia Cup this year. Varun Chakaravarthy, who played key roles in both wins, said that Gambhir has instilled a Spartan-like mentality in the team, where losing is not an option and mediocrity isn't accepted.
"I have already worked with him in the IPL and we won that (in 2024), so (there is) nothing new to me because I have already been around him," Chakravarthy told reporters during CEAT Cricket Rating awards.
"But definitely one thing which I can say about him is he brings a Spartan mentality to the team where there is no option of losing, you just have to bring (out) your best and give everything on the ground and later on, whatever happens, happens...When he is around, there is no mediocrity, you can't be mediocre in the field, that's what I feel," he added.
Chakaravarthy found his mojo back under Gambhir's mentorship at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League. A stunning performance in the cash-rich league helped the mystery spinner earn a recall into the Indian team. Since his comeback, Chakaravarthy has been in red-hot form, delivering wickets whenever the team has needed them.
Chakravarthy also credited India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and Gambhir for giving him a defined role upon his return, which boosted his confidence and allowed him to perform to the best of his abilities.
During the Asia Cup, he accounted for seven wickets from six matches at an average of 20.43 and an economy rate of 6.50. While Chakaravarthy hasn't been picked in India's squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia, he will travel Down Under ahead of the T20I leg of the tour, which begins on October 29.
