India’s former head coach Ravi Shastri has urged the current chief coach Gautam Gambhir to stay calm and not let the outside elements influence him in the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia. Gambhir is under the pump after India suffered a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand despite playing at home.

Meanwhile, Shastri led India to back-to-back victories in the previous two tours as a head coach to create history. Shastri wants Gambhir to know his players’ strengths by spending more time with them.

“The first thing would be to stay calm and not let outside elements influence you in any way,” Shastri advised Gambhir while talking to the media in the Star Sports press room.

“Avoid getting into positions where knee-jerk reactions happen. Stay calm and focus on understanding your players. You’ll notice what it takes for a player to thrive,” he added.

Shastri reckons it will be imperative for Gambhir to give chances to the right players according to the match conditions.

“You’ll understand team situations where a certain player might be better suited than another, based on your understanding of their temperament,” Shastri commented.

“These insights don’t come overnight — it took me some time to understand everyone. Gautam might already have a basic understanding of the players’ temperaments. He might have seen them in the IPL or sat in the dressing room with them when he played,” he added.

“However, there are many players with different mindsets, cultures, and backgrounds. For example, there could be a player who’s an introvert, but with the right push and confidence, he could become a match-winner for you. 

“Understanding those kinds of players and enabling them to work and play in a way that brings out their best would be crucial,” Shastri explained.

Gambhir recently created a stir when he said what former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has to do with Indian cricket after the former skipper questioned Virat Kohli’s form in the last five years.