Former India captain Sourav Ganguly threw his weight behind the incumbent head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and praised the southpaw for his growth and clarity of thought as a leader.

Speaking ahead of India's much-anticipated Day 3 of the first Test against England, Ganguly said that Gambhir has found his rhythm following a slow start and has picked up the pace as coach since the Champions Trophy victory in Dubai earlier this year.

"Gautam (Gambhir) is doing a good job. He started off a little slow, losing to Australia and New Zealand, but he picked up with the Champions Trophy. This is going to be a big series (vs England)," Ganguly told news agency PTI.

When asked about Gambhir's tactical acumen, Ganguly admitted that he hasn't worked closely with him in a coaching capacity but lauded his personality traits, which reflect strong leadership.

"I haven't seen him from very close in this role, but I know he is very passionate. I haven't observed his strategies closely because I haven't worked with him as a coach.

"He's very straightforward, he sees things clearly, and he's very open about what he feels, about the team, players, people, everything. From the outside, you can tell he's a very transparent person - what you see is what you get."

Recalling their playing days, Ganguly noted Gambhir's respectful demeanour in the dressing room and his deep regard for seniors.

"I've played with him. He was a great guy with a lot of respect for me and the senior players. Even now, I can see he is extremely passionate about his job."

Ganguly also feels that with just a year into the job, Gambhir should be allowed time to grow as a coach and learn with the passage of time.

"I wish him all the best. He's just a year into the job, and this will be an important (England) tour. He struggled a bit in Australia, but just like everyone else, he'll learn, he'll grow, and he'll become better."