The Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) reportedly approached Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir to be the next head coach of Team India.
The BCCI is currently on hunt for new head coach as Rahul Dravid's contract will expire after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024. It has been reported that Dravid is unlikely to reapply for the head coach role position and he communicated the same to the board.
National Cricket Academy (NCA) coach VVS Laxman too reportedly expressed his disinterest in taking up the head coach's role in the Indian team. On May 13, the BCCI put up an advertisement on its website inviting applications for the for the position of India men's head coach. The deadline
BCCI contacts Gautam Gambhir
As per the report by ESPN Cricinfo, KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir has been contacted by BCCI to express his interest in taking up head coach role in Indian team and further discussion after the IPL 2024.
Gambhir is currently part of Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor in the ongoing IPL season. Under the mentorship, KKR performed exceptionally well as they qualified for the playoffs and played in Qualifier 1 against second-place finished in the league stage of the IPL 2024.
Gautam Gambhir doesn't have any experience of coaching a team at international or national level but has been in-charge of coaching staff for two IPL franchise - Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders. His first stint as a coach began with LSG, where played a pivotal role as a role mentor to help the team reach the playoffs in two consecutive IPL seasons in 2022 and 2023.
After serving two seasons with LSG, Gautam Gambhir moved to KKR as a mentor ahead of the IPL 2024. If the former Indian cricketer takes up the head role in Indian team, then he will have to leave Kolkata Knight Riders after IPL 2024.
Gautam Gambhir was part of India's Two World Cup titles run
Gautam Gambhir played an important role in the success of Indian team during his playing years. He was part of Team India that won the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup. In finals of both tournaments, Gambhir scored match-winning half-centuries.
As a captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, Gautam Gambhir led the team to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. The 42-year-old will be aiming for the third title but this time as a mentor of the team that he captained from 2011 and 2017.
Given his international experience as a player, Gautam Gambhir would come handy as a head coach of Team India.
