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'Ghar pe bachhe hain' but Gautam Gambhir can't resist picking a fight even at 43: 'I'm still aggressive but with age...'
Gautam Gambhir admits that his natural instinct, even at 43, is to go after a fight.
Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team, is back in his comfort zone – his hometown of Delhi, where India and the West Indies are playing the second Test of the series. The world may know Gambhir has a fierce competitor and a non-nonsense decision maker, but inside that hard coconut-like shell is a man who's just another Delhiite – in-your-face and doesn't mince words. Throughout his playing career for India, Gambhir hasn't shied away from calling a spade a spade, and as the 43-year-old returns to the city he has grown up in, he is being celebrated by his near and dear ones.
Gambhir may continue to be a controversial figure, more so now that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma fans are in overdrive on social media. However, Gambhir's heart lies in one goal: the betterment of Indian cricket. However, somewhere inside, Gambhir is still that 'Dilli ka launda', always eager to pick up a fight. How often has he found himself at the centre of the storm? The Shahid Afridi spat, the multiple heated altercations with Virat Kohli in the IPL, the shoulder shove to Shane Watson at the Kotla, the incidents are endless.
Gambhir's first instinct, reaction to fights
With time, Gambhir has mellowed, but every time something is said about his team or fingers are pointed at his players, Gambhir does not hold back. So what if he's the father of two young kids?
"I'm still aggressive, but there is one change now. Whenever I try to be – that first instinct is still pretty much there – but my first reaction is to take on the fight. But somewhere, with age, the first thing that comes to mind is 'Ghar pe bachhe hain' (There are kids at home)," Gambhir said on the most recent episode of 'Home town Hero' that aired during Day 1 of the India vs West Indies Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The signs have been there. During the 2023 Asia Cup, Gambhir flipped the bird to a section of the public abusing the Indian team in Sri Lanka, and mouthed a few expletives during the 3rd India vs England Test at Lord's.
