KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir with co-owner Shah Rukh Khan.© Twitter
Is Gautam Gambhir the next Indian cricket team head coach? That seems to be the strongest rumour that is doing the rounds since the IPL 2024 ended. Under Gambhir’s mentorship, Kolkata Knight Riders won the title in style. Before 2024, Gambhir was the mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants. The KL Rahul-led side entered the IPL play-offs for two consecutive seasons under Gambhir. Now, it seems that Gambhir’s name is being thought about as the next Indian cricket team coach.
The official deadline for application submission for the post of Indian cricket team coach selection is over. Monday was the last date to submit the google sheets to be the next India coach.
A report in Cricbuzz gave details of what might be happening in the background. It claimed that a “very high-profile owner of an IPL franchise, who is very close to the BCCI top brass” told the publication that former India star’s appointment as Indian cricket team coach is a “done deal and the announcement will come soon”. It also said that a “high profile commentator” told them that serious efforts are being made to rope in the KKR mentor.
However, the report also added that since there has been no official announcement, it points to the fact that negotiations are still on multiple fronts — “between the two parties and, perhaps, with some others too.”
BCCI secretary Jay Shah last week rejected claims that the Board has approached any former Australian cricketer to be India’s next head coach and hinted that Rahul Dravid‘s successor could be an Indian by saying that he should have a “deep understanding” of the game’s structure in the country.
“Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect,” Shah said in a statement.
“Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks,” Shah said.
With PTI inputs
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