New Delhi: Gautam Gambhir has reportedly become the latest high-profile candidate to be contacted by the BCCI for the India head coach’s job after Rahul Dravid’s tenure ends next month. Dravid, who was appointed in 2021, completed his two-year term last November at the end of the ODI World Cup at home. However, he was asked to stay back with the T20 World Cup 2024 in USA and West Indies to be his final assignment for the Men in Blue.
While there were several top names – from VVS Laxman to Ravi Shastri to Stephen Fleming – did the rounds, former India opener Gambhir made headlines on Friday night as the current Kolkata Knight Riders mentor was reportedly approached by the BCCI top brass for the top job. The BCCI formally invited applications on May 13. The deadline for submission of applications is May 27, a day after the final of the ongoing Indian Premier League.
A winner of two World Cups for India (2007 and 2011), Gambhir do not have any coaching experience at the international level or the state level. Having retired from the game in 2018, Gambhir was involved in politics for a few years before returning to the cricket field as a mentor of Lucknow Super Giants in 2022. The former southpaw worked wonders with LSG as he guided the franchise to consecutive playoff finishes in 2022 and 2023.
The 42-year-old made a homecoming to KKR in IPL 2024 to weave another magic wand around the franchise to make the two-time champions the first team to enter playoffs in the ongoing edition. From finishing seventh in IPL 2023 to becoming the first to book a knockout spot, Gambhir influence is clearly visible in the current KKR side, showcasing his potential to produce match-winners.
Coaching at the international level is all about man management and Gambhir is a true man manager. Carrying an aura with him, Gambhir’s no-nonsense approach is when it comes to cricket and his tactical acumen is needed in Indian cricket if the national teams wants to end the ICC trophy drought.
Incidentally, it was under Gambhir that KKR won two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. He was the KKR captain from 2011 to 2017 during which the franchise qualified for the playoffs five times. He also led the side to the final of now-defunct Champions League T20 in 2014.
While then BCCI president Sourav Ganguly was the one to bring Dravid on board in 2021, it remains to be seen whether the current chief Roger Binny can do the same in Gambhir’s case.
Meanwhile, according to a report in Sportstar, Dravid had long ago made up his mind that he doesn’t want to continue beyond T20 World Cup 2024. The report also stated that the former India captain was approached by several senior players to stay back atleast for a year and look after the Test side only. But Dravid declined. Although the names of the players didn’t come out, it is believed to be the leadership group consisting Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.
