Under the mentorship of former India batsman Gautam Gambhir, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who were one of the two new teams to get added in the IPL, have reached the playoffs twice in two seasons.
And even though they bowed out in the Eliminator in both seasons, reaching playoffs twice in two seasons is great success when you consider that there are 10 strong teams competing, all of whom had been given equal chance to build squads at the auction.
The playoff finish in IPL 2023 for LSG under Gautam Gambhir’s mentorship should be hailed even more as the team had to deal with the losses of Mark Wood after the first half of the tournament and captain KL Rahul in the second half of the league phase.
What makes Gautam Gambhir an excellent coach and mentor?
Backing players to the hilt
One of the reasons Gautam Gambhir is so highly respected among fans is he walks the talk. Gautam Gambhir has always spoken about giving full backing to the players when they are not performing. The success and rise of Ayush Badoni and Prerak Mankad are two examples. While Badoni had been ignored by some of the coaches and selectors in the Delhi circuit, Gautam Gambhir got him in the LSG team and gave him the platform to showcase his skills and talent.
Further, despite being out of touch, Deepak Hooda was backed by LSG throughout the season. They tried him at different positions to see where he comes off good.
Knows how to build a team
It would have been a mountain of task for LSG to build their squad in the IPL 2022 auction with a number of major stars being retained by the 8 franchises. Not detering from the daunting challenge, Gautam Gambhir and LSG set out to build a strong and well-rounded unit that reached playoffs twice in two seasons. For context, Punjab Kings have only two playoffs finish in 16 seasons and Rajasthan Royals four in 16 years. LSG have not just a solid first eleven, but one of the strongest squads in all of the 10 teams.
Gautam Gambhir has a very clear mentality, on and off the field.
A winner in the past with Team India and KKR, the success of Gautam Gambhir’s foundation as a player and leader has been clear thought process. He has his way of doing things – bold and fearless and isn’t afraid to say things that may not please people. Gambhir someone who calls a spade a spade. That has helped the seniors and youngsters in the LSG squad look within themselves and grow.
