‘Fantastic Thinker’: Mitchell Starc Praises Gambhir’s Tactical Acumen, Adds Excitement to BGT Series

The Gautam Gambhir era has been nothing less than flourishing for Team India in Test Cricket, as they secured impressive wins against Bangladesh . The Men in Blue's success has been immense as they managed to secure a win in a match which looked like it would end up in a draw. With BGT happening soon, all eyes would be on Australia when the two test cricket titans would collide against each other. Ahead of the series, pacer Mitchell Starc dished out praise for his KKR mentor, Gautam Gambhir.

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Mitchell Star Goes Gaga on Gautam Gambhir ’s Coaching Mentality Ahead of BGT Series

While speaking in an appearance for Star Sports, Mitchell Starc opened up on the time he spent in the Kolkata Knight Riders with the then franchise mentor, Gautam Gambhir . He lauded the former India opener's genius tactics, saying that he is an excellent player strategist who puts the needs of the team first and looks to gain an advantage by changing tactics and field placements.

"Speaking from my experience at Kolkata, he is a fantastic thinker of the game. He's always thinking about the opponent and how to get them out as a bowling attack or how to score runs as a batting attack.

"It's not just individual players it's always about the team focus and how to get on top of little things that he might see in techniques or in a field placement or anything like that. The nine weeks that I spent with him were fantastic. In a T20 setup, I know that he's got some good things," Mitchell Starc said.

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During the IPL 2024 Mini Auction, Gautam Gambhir played a big role in bringing Australia's Mitchell Starc when he was the mentor for KKR. The Knight Riders cashed out a whooping ₹24.75 crore to rope him in, making him the most expensive purchase in the tournament's history. While he did not shine during the group stage, Starc rose to the occasion whenever the team needed him during the playoffs. The Aussie pacer delivered incredible match-winning spells, which led to the franchise winning their third IPL title against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the IPL 2024 Final.

During the Border Gavaskar Trophy series, Mitchell Starc and Gautam Gambhir will be on opposite ends. The five-match Test series begins at the Optus Stadium in Perth next month.