The Indian Premier League stands as a remarkable platform, not just for Indian cricketers but also for talents from across the globe, offering them a stage to display their prowess and hone their skills, evolving into superior versions of themselves.
Recent murmurs in cricket circles suggest that Kolkata Knight Riders' mentor, Gautam Gambhir, has caught the eye of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), being considered for the head coach role. However, despite his illustrious career as a player, Gambhir lacks substantial coaching experience in his repertoire.
Hailing from Delhi, Gambhir, while acknowledging the invaluable opportunities the IPL presents, raises a pertinent concern. He emphasizes that while the IPL serves as a gateway to fame and fortune, it shouldn't dampen the aspirations of young cricketers to represent India in the Test arena.
In a candid conversation on Ravichandran Ashwin's YouTube show, 'Kutti Stories with Ash', Gambhir shares his thoughts, stating, "The bigger concern that arises is about how many youngsters want to play Test cricket for India. I hope the IPL is not a shortcut to play for India."
Nevertheless, Gambhir lauds the IPL for its role in elevating the standard of Indian domestic cricketers, transforming their approach towards the game. He contends that the IPL has revolutionized the cricketing landscape, surpassing even international T20 competitions in terms of competitiveness.
Gambhir emphasizes, "Not many teams can match the quality that India has. So, I feel that in today's day and age, IPL has become far more competitive than international T20 cricket.
He observes a notable shift in the mindset of domestic players, with T20 cricket increasingly becoming their focal point. Gambhir concludes that "Just the quality of the domestic players has changed, the way domestic players want to play in the IPL and the way they work around T20 cricket -- I think most of their focus is on playing T20 cricket."
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