From IPL Mates to BGT Rivals: Mitchell Starc lauds Gautam Gambhir’s game-changing strategies |

NEW DELHI: Mitchell Starc, the Australian fast bowler, has praised Gautam Gambhir’s strategic thinking abilities. Starc believes that the Indian coach is an exceptional analyst of the game who always puts the team’s requirements first. Gambhir, according to Starc, strives to gain an edge by making changes to techniques and field settings.
During the Indian Premier League earlier this year, Starc had the opportunity to work with Gambhir, who served as the team mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders.Under Gambhir’s guidance, KKR had one of their most successful seasons in recent years.
The team’s performance was outstanding, and they managed to secure the championship after a decade-long wait.
“Speaking from my experience at Kolkata, he is a fantastic thinker of the game. He’s always thinking about the opponent and how to get them out as a bowling attack or how to score runs as a batting attack,” Starc said on ‘Star Sports’.
“It’s not just individual players it’s always about the team focus and how to get on top of little things that he might see in techniques or in a field placement or anything like that,” he added.
KKR secured Mitchell Starc for a record-breaking Rs 24.75 crore earlier this year, making him the most expensive player in the tournament’s history. While his performance during the league stage was underwhelming, he delivered match-winning spells in the knockout rounds when it mattered most.
“The nine weeks that I spent with him were fantastic. In a T20 setup, I know that he’s got some good things,” the Australian pacer said.
The two will face off as opponents when hosts Australia take on Gambhir’s India in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, beginning next month in Perth.