Pathan, who was bought by KKR for USD 2.1 million, is yet to justify his price tag as he aggregates a dismal 48 runs from nine matches this season, averaging a poor 6.85.
But Gambhir backed the under-fire batsman to the hilt and said it was just a matter of time before Pathan strikes form.
"We're not thinking about his (Pathan's) form. He's a quality player. It's just about one innings. He's a big match player, and hopefully, he can turn it around. It's only a matter of time before he starts hitting the ball well," the KKR skipper said.
"If we're winning without him contributing much, it's a good sign for the team," Gambhir said after his side defeated Chennai Super Kings by five wickets last night to move up to the second position in the standings with 13 points from 10 matches.
Gambhir said the away win against title holders CSK was a result of team effort.
"It was a complete team effort. It's about doing well in all departments and that's what we did. We bowled well and restricted them to a decent total and then chased well. We never panicked towards the end," he said.
