Cricket buff, Southgate would watch Test cricket all day

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May 05, 2025 17:35 IST

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Former England Head Coach Gareth Southgate at the IPL match between KKR and RR, in Kolkata, on Sunday

IMAGE: Former England Head Coach Gareth Southgate at the IPL match between KKR and RR, in Kolkata, on Sunday. Photograph: BCCI

Former England men's football team head coach Gareth Southgate is no new fan of cricket.

Southgate, who witnessed the thriller between defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, at the iconic Eden Gardens on Sunday, revealed he's been a cricket fans since the time of Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar.

Southgate watched as KKR downed RR by one run and later took a trip down memory lane, recalling the time when he used to 'watch Test cricket all day long'.

 

'Very often, when you play at Wembley, the crowd is a little bit quieter. I have always been a fan of cricket. When I was a young kid, I used to watch Test matches all day long. I mean, I am going back to the era of Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and players like that and then over the years, I got to know a lot of the players when I was playing for England, and I knew a lot of the England team.

'Last year, Ben Stokes came and talked to the England team. Also, with a lot of coaches, you learn a lot across sports, so that's really why I am here,' Southgate said in a video posted by IPL and Rajasthan Royals on Instagram.

'Every sport is evolving rapidly, so much that coaches share, medical teams share, and yeah, it's always fascinating to go outside your field and learn from other people. As I said, I love the sport. So it's lovely to come here, and I have loved coming to India. It is the first time I have been to India. It has been amazing,' he added.

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