'Not just in India, but in world cricket, we need guys who are a little bit more aggressive and play the game a little bit harder.'
Former South African pacer Dale Steyn expressed happiness at Gautam Gambhir's appointment as Team India's head coach, saying his mentality of cricket is needed for world cricket.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Tuesday, announced that Gambhir as the Indian men's cricket team's new Head Coach.
"I am a big fan of Gautam Gambhir. I love his aggression. He is one of the few Indians I ever played against who came back at you, and I like that. I think he is going to take that into the dressing room with guys like Virat and some of the other senior players who might not play as big a part anymore," Steyn told Star Sports.
"Not just in India, but in world cricket, we need guys who are a little bit more aggressive and play the game a little bit harder," he added.
"We all seem to play in the leagues against each other, and we become quite friendly and friends. I like the way that he is fierce on the field but a gentleman off the field. He is also streetwise, a very smart cricketer, and has a great cricket brain.
"So I think from that point of view, he is going to be fantastic for them too," said Steyn about the former Indian batter.
Gambhir takes over from Rahul Dravid, whose tenure as the head coach of Team India came to an end after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024, where India beat South Africa by seven runs to win the prestigious trophy after 17 years.
Gambhir was a left-handed opener for the India team and served as Kolkata Knight Riders' team mentor, under whose guidance they lifted the Indian Premier League 2024 trophy.
