Gautam Gambhir’s highly anticipated appointment as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team was officially confirmed on Tuesday, succeeding Rahul Dravid in the role. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Gautam Gambhir will begin his tenure with the team during the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka later this month. The BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape, and Sulakshana Naik, unanimously recommended the decision. Gambhir, alongside former India batter WV Raman, was one of the candidates who appeared for the interview process, making history as the youngest head coach of India at 42 years old.
According to reports from Hindustan Times, the appointment did not involve consultation with star batsman Virat Kohli, who had a well-documented competitive history with Gautam Gambhir, including a notable on-field altercation during an IPL match in 2023. Despite occasional reconciliations during IPL 2024, the BCCI did not seek Kohli’s input as he is no longer part of the T20I squad.
A BCCI official emphasized the importance of focusing on long-term planning and considering the influx of young talent in the team. Meanwhile, the BCCI reportedly informed star all-rounder Hardik Pandya about Gambhir’s appointment, as he is in contention for India’s next T20I captaincy.
Observers will closely watch the dynamics between Gautam Gambhir and India’s current captain, Rohit Sharma, especially following reports that Rohit favored Dravid continuing as head coach. Both Rohit and Kohli have requested extended breaks from BCCI commitments, indicating the likelihood of their absence during Gambhir’s debut series as head coach against Sri Lanka, comprising three T20Is and as many ODIs starting July 28.
Leave a Reply