India, July 21 -- In the fortnight since Gautam Gambhir was confirmed as the new India men's cricket team head coach, the former opening batter has set a marker about wanting to do things his way. The decision to elevate Suryakumar Yadav as the T20I captain, rather than Hardik Pandya who was vice-captain in India's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign, has his imprint. He has also veered from recent convention by bringing in a foreigner, Ryan ten Doeschate of Netherlands, as an assistant coach. His choice for bowling coach, it is believed, is South African Morne Morkel.

This is not at all surprising once you delve deeper into Gambhir's personality by talking to his former teammates and ex-selectors, for the picture they paint is of a fierce...