Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Laxmipathy Balaji says skipper Gautam Gambhir is as good as Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni when it comes to leading the side.
"I think our new skipper Gautam Gambhir played a pivotal role in the turnaround of the fortunes of the team. He always used to set an example for the rest of the team-members. He always led from the front and I have no doubt whatsoever that leadership wise, Gautam is on-par with MS Dhoni at the moment," Balaji said.
"The way he backed his players to the hilt and stood behind the team was absolutely brilliant. He handled the pressure very well and inspired us all to perform at our best.
His attacking field placements helped us apply more pressure on the opponents," the pacer from Chennai added.
Balaji was also praised legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram who is the bowling coach at KKR.
"All of us at KKR consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have someone like 'Wasim bhai' around us. The most endearing quality about him is that he always makes everyone feel like he is just another guy. He makes you feel very comfortable and that is absolutely crucial. He is always approachable," the bowler told espnstar.com.
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