She is a confidante and a friend who helps me navigate life: Gautam Gambhir on wife Natasha Gambhir

Former cricketer and head coach of India Men’s cricket team Gautam Gambhir, who celebrated his 13th anniversary with wife Natasha Gambhir yesterday, shares how her support has been monumental throughout his life. “Natasha has been a pillar of support in every way possible. She is a partner in the true sense of the word. I can go out and try my best, only because she is in my life. Her support is not just as a wife or the mum of our kids, but as a confidante and a friend who helps me navigate various situations in life,” says the 43-year-old.

Talking about his new role as a coach, Gautam feels his daughters Aazeen, 10, and Anaiza, 7, have been his “biggest cheerleaders”, when it comes to navigating this transition. “My girls are as excited as I am. We play a lot at home, sometimes worrying Natasha who believes we might break something,” quips Gautam.

Meanwhile, for Natasha, Gautam’s “integrity and his selflessness” which made her “fall in love with him” in the first place, stands out to her during these different phases of his journey. “Gautam has always been someone who enjoys being at home with the kids and I love the fact that he just cannot wait to come back to us. He always finds time to come home even when things are exhausting. We make sure that we do things that we love together, like taking short breaks and going to beaches, with Maldives being our favourite destination,” says the 40-year-old.

“Just sitting with him and chatting while our kids play is something that always makes me so grateful for the life that we have… Our relationship has evolved from friendship to young love, and then a deeper kind of love where we enjoy growing together. I think that’s the best part about being with someone that you respect,” she adds.