IND vs BAN: 'Very Relaxed' - Ravichandran Ashwin on First Impressions of Head Coach Gautam Gambhir

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Senior India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin gave his first impressions of the newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir, praising the former Indian opener for his 'relaxed' approach, which has contributed to a lively environment in the dressing room.

Gambhir took charge of the Indian team in July during the tour to Sri Lanka, where he oversaw the T20I and ODI format series. His first Test assignment came last week when India hosted Bangladesh in the series opener in Chennai.

In his first outing under the new head coach, the ace spinner excelled in his hometown, scoring a century in the first innings and taking six wickets in the second innings, guiding India to a dominant 280-run victory.

After the 1st Test, Ashwin shared his his first experience working with coach Gambhir and lauded the former India opener in a video posted on his YouTube channel.

"I think he is very relaxed. I want to call him 'relaxed rancho'. There's no pressure at all. In the morning, there will be a team huddle. He is very relaxed about that as well. He will be like 'are you coming, please come'. It's like that," Ashwin said on his Youtube channel.

Ashwin also highlighted the differences between Gambhir and Dravid, appreciating the effectiveness of both coaches before exuding confidence that Gambhir would be well-loved by the current team and future members.

"With Rahul bhai, as soon as we come, he wanted things in order: even a bottle should be kept at a particular place at a particular time. He is very regimented. He wanted things in order," he added.

"With Gambhir, he doesn't expect all that. He has a relaxed order. He will be a people's man. He will capture everybody's heart. I think he will be loved by the boys," he said.

Ashwin also spoke about Rohit Sharma and his leadership, saying, "Also, Rohit is a very good leader who works well with everybody. Even when he is leading the side, we can see that. He is very calm and composed as a leader."

Gambhir took over as Team India's head coach after Dravid's tenure ended following India's T20 World Cup triumph. Dravid chose not to reapply for the head coach position, and the BCCI announced Gambhir as his successor in June.

Gambhir's first assignment saw mixed results, with India winning the T20I series but losing the ODI series in Sri Lanka. The Chennai Test, the first of India's 10-match run in the upcoming season, provided a significant boost of confidence for Gambhir and his support staff.

Ashwin's all-round performance was a highlight, but the team also benefited from Ravindra Jadeja's gritty 86 in the first innings. Ashwin and Jadeja combined for a 199-run partnership, rescuing India from a precarious 144 for 6 and propelling them to a commanding 376.

India continued to dominate with Jasprit Bumrah's brilliant bowling, which dismissed Bangladesh for 149. In the second innings, comeback players Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill each scored a century, further solidifying India's position.

The Indian team will look to carry on the winning momentum as the Bangladesh Test series concludes with the second Test at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, starting from Friday (September 27).