New Delhi, March 26 -- Former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis shared his impression of Gautam Gambhir as a leader, having played against him many times in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He said that Gambhir comes across as a "villain" to opponents because of his intense competitiveness, but earns deep respect for it.

He highlighted that Gambhir doesn't try to be liked--instead, he focuses on high standards, discipline, and accountability as a leader. Du Plessis concluded that these qualities made his side, and three-time IPL winner Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), a strong side.

"My perspective of Gambhir is obviously very different from the guys who play with him. He's always the villain in the story when it comes to playing against ...