The head coach of Team India, Gautam Gambhir, has frequently been accused in media reports of not being a huge admirer of cricket great and former captain of India, MS Dhoni. He has frequently questioned the significance of Dhoni’s famous six in the 2011 ODI World Cup final versus Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Gambhir has argued that India did not win the World Cup with a single six.
However, to be fair to the former India opener, he has never personally criticized Dhoni. Conversely, he has frequently commended the cricketer who was born in Ranchi. In May 2024, during an appearance on Sportskeeda’s special show SK Match ki Baat, Gautam Gambhir even expressed his belief that he and Dhoni share a similar leadership style and that both players should feel safe. He said:
“I feel insecurity is the biggest reason for a player’s failure. It’s not about ability. If you don’t have the ability you won’t reach the first-class, IPL, or international level in the first place. So it is important to have a secure dressing room. A secure dressing room is a happy dressing room and it eventually becomes a winning dressing room.”
Gautam Gambhir
Gambhir said "MS Dhoni is my favorite batting partner". [Sportskeeda] pic.twitter.com/slM0YFzYSe
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 21, 2023Although Gautam Gambhir played just a few matches as the Indian skipper, he led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise to victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2012 and 2014. He came back to the team as the mentor in the 2024 season and KKR lifted their third IPL trophy. Later Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as the head coach of Team India.
Gautam Gambhir calls MS Dhoni India’s most successful captain
MS Dhoni has been one of the most successful white-ball captains. The Men in Blue won the T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in 2013 under him. In an interaction with Star Sports in April 2024, Gambhir called Dhoni the most successful captain India is unlikely to ever have. He said:
“MS is probably the most successful captain India will ever have. I don’t think anyone can ever can reach that level, winning three ICC trophies. People can win overseas, people can win as many Test matches, but it cannot get bigger than three ICC trophies.”
Gautam Gambhir
Unorthodox, unconventional and effective 🙌
A cricketer beyond numbers and statistics 👏
MS Dhoni is inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame 🥇
More ➡️ https://t.co/oV8mFaBfze pic.twitter.com/AGRzL0aP79
— ICC (@ICC) June 9, 2025MS Dhoni has become the first captain in world cricket to win all the three white-ball ICC trophies. He is also the captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with whom he has won the IPL five times. The 43-year-old has recently been ranked into the ICC Hall of Fame together with six other cricketing greats. The keeper-batter represented his country in 538 matches and scored 17,266 runs at the average of 44.96 with 16 centuries and 108 fifties.
