CHENNAI (PTI): Gautam Gambhir is more relaxed compared to his predecessor Rahul Dravid, who had a “regimented” style of functioning, feels Indian team’s oldest member Ravichandran Ashwin. Dravid, who was in charge of Team India since November 2021, quit the role this July after the T20 World Cup triumph and has since been replaced by Gautam Gambhir.

Pointing out the difference, Ashwin noted that Gambhir has a relaxed approach and helps in maintaining a lively atmosphere in the dressing room, calling him a “relaxed Rancho”. “I think he (Gambhir) is very relaxed. I want to call him ‘relaxed rancho’. There’s no pressure at all,” Ashwin said. “In the morning, there will be a team huddle. He is very relaxed about that as well. He will be like, ‘Are you coming, please come’; it’s like that.”

However, when it came to Dravid, Ashwin revealed that he had a more stern and ordered approach.

“With Rahul bhai, as soon as we came, he demanded order. Even a bottle should be kept at a particular place at a particular time. He is very regimented,” he said.

“With Gambhir, he doesn’t expect all that. He has a relaxed order and will be a people’s man. He will capture everybody’s heart, and I think he will be loved by the boys.”

While Dravid led India to the T20 World Cup conquest before stepping down from the role, Gambhir took charge after leading Kolkata Knight Riders to its third Indian Premier League title, having joined his former franchise as a mentor only this season. Gambhir is guiding the Indian team in his first-ever Test assignment, having won the opening Test against Bangladesh. 

Tight security for second Test

Kanpur: Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the India-Bangladesh second Test match to be played at the International Green Park stadium here scheduled from September 27. An FIR was filed against 20 members of the Akhilesh Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha on Monday for allegedly organising a ‘havan’ by obstructing the road before the stadium to protest against atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the Hindu Mahasabha has called for a bandh in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior on October 6 to oppose the India-Bangladesh T20I match.