Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) wicket-keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz has praised Gautam Gambhir as the best coach he has played under in his career. The Afghanistan international was part of KKR’s title-winning squad in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), where Gambhir acted as the team’s mentor.
Gurbaz, who has experience in both international and franchise cricket, has worked with several coaches throughout his career. Yet, he singled out Gambhir for creating a strong team environment and guiding players effectively.
The opening batter made significant contributions during KKR’s crucial matches after Phil Salt’s exit, delivering important cameos in both Qualifier 1 and the Final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), helping the franchise secure its third IPL trophy.
“He’s the best ever coach, human being, and mentor that I have had in my career so far. I love the way he goes about things,” Rahmanullah Gurbaz told PTI on the sidelines of the ILT20 2026 season.
“When you have a good team environment, you will always be on top. He made the environment very easy for us, nothing stressful, nothing strict, and that is why we won the tournament. He is not strict, but he is disciplined. He is only strict when something goes against discipline” he added.
Gurbaz Comments On The Backlash Against Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir has faced criticism following India’s 0-2 home Test series defeat to South Africa last month. This marked the Men in Blue’s second home series loss within a year, affecting their standing at the midpoint of the World Test Championship (WTC) fixtures. Rahmanullah Gurbaz came to his former coach’s defense, noting that such negativity is inevitable in a cricket-loving nation like India.
“If 1.4 billion people are there in your country, you can say that 2-3 million people will be against him. The rest are with Gautam sir and the Indian team. It doesn’t make much sense to talk about them,” Gurbaz said.
“India just won the Champions Trophy in ODI format, Asia Cup in T20 Format. They have won a lot of series, so you can’t blame them for one series,” he added.
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