Gautam Gambhir‘s much-hyped appointment as head coach of the Indian cricket team was made official on Tuesday, with the former opener replacing Rahul Dravid for the top job. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also announced that Gambhir will join the team for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka later this month. BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape, and Sulakshana Naik, unanimously recommended Gambhir’s name for the head coach job.

Gambhir, along with former India batter WV Raman, were the only ones to appear for the interview. The 42-year-old is the youngest ever to be named as head coach of India.

According to Hindustan Times, star batter Virat Kohli was not consulted by the BCCI before Gambhir’s appointment was made public. 

Kohli’s feisty on-field relationship with Gambhir is a secret to none. Both were involved in an ugly spat during an IPL 2023 match in Lucknow.

While the two embraced each other multiple times during IPL 2024, Kohli’s opinion wasn’t sought by the BCCI as he is no longer part of the T20I set-up.

“There is enough time for the two to have conversations over the table. But it was important for the BCCI to look at the big picture with many youngsters likely to feature in the coming years,” a BCCI official told Hindustan Times.

Both Kohli and India captain Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20Is after the T20 World Cup. 

The report also added that star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is leading the race to become India’s next T20I captain, was kept in the loop by the BCCI, as far as Gambhir’s appointment is concerned.

However, it will be interesting to see India captain Rohit Sharma’s relationship with Gambhir, especially with the star batter confronting that he wanted Dravid to continue as head coach.

Reports have also claimed that both Rohit and Kohli have asked for lengthy breaks from BCCI, with the duo likely to miss Gambhir’s debut series as head coach against Sri Lanka.

India will play three T20Is and as many ODIs against Sri Lanka, starting July 28.

Rohit Sharma’s family with Rahul Dravid© X (Twitter)

The financial nitty-gritties of Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as India’s head coach are yet to be worked out but that’s the “last of his concerns” right now as he is focussed on getting a support staff of choice to prepare for the enormous challenges that await him during the three-year stint. On Tuesday, BCCI secretary Jay Shah officially announced Gambhir’s appointment, which was on cards for a long time. However, it is learnt that his salary is yet to be finalised although it is expected to be in the same bracket as that of his predecessors Rahul Dravid and Ravi Shastri.

“For Gautam, it was important that he took charge and salary and other stuff can be worked out as it’s not going anywhere. It is similar to the case of Ravi Shastri in 2014 when he was first made Director of Cricket over head coach Duncan Fletcher,” a BCCI source told PTI.

“The day Ravi joined, he didn’t even have a contract and things worked out. In case of Gautam also, some finer details are being worked out. The salary will be in the same range of Rahul Dravid,” he added.

It is understood that Gambhir will be given his own team to work with, who will also closely co-ordinate with the NCA (National Cricket Academy) coaches, who look after the pathways teams (India A and U-19) as well as the targeted players.

“I look forward to working closely with the BCCI, Head of Cricket – Mr VVS Laxman, the support staff, and, most importantly, the players, as we work towards achieving success in the upcoming tournaments,” Gambhir had said.

Laxman is currently in Zimbabwe with the young T20 team, but it is expected that once he is back, the NCA head, along with the new head coach and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, the two captains Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya will have a discussion on the road ahead.

Brainstorming over support staff

There is a lot of interest surrounding who will be Gambhir’s core support staff.

Abhishek Nayar, the head of KKR’s academy and a former Mumbai stalwart has been one of the key back-room strategists for the IPL franchise.

He is also known to be a life coach, who has helped players one-on-one on professional basis.

More importantly, he is one of current captain Rohit Sharma’s closest friends. Having ticked all boxes, he looks set to be one of the assistant coaches.

One BCCI office-bearer, who primarily operates from Delhi, is believed to have floated the names of L Balaji and Zaheer Khan as two prospective candidates for the bowling coach’s job.

A few other reports have indicated R Vinay Kumar’s name, believed to be Gambhir’s choice.

However, it is understood that the BCCI has rejected the proposal even though there’s no confirmation of such a development from BCCI secretary Jay Shah, the man who matters in BCCI.

As far as the fielding coach’s role is concerned, Jonty Rhodes’ name seems to have cropped up again but if one looks at the trend of the past two coaching cycles, BCCI has always preferred one of its home-grown talents in the set-up.

For instance, R Sridhar was a core member of Shastri’s team and worked through the ranks in the NCA and the India U-19 set-up. Ditto for T Dilip, who worked extensively under Dravid at NCA and also went for India A assignments.

There is a school of thought that perhaps Munish Bali, who has been around the set-up for some time now and knows most of the youngsters coming through the system, can be given a try as well.

The T20I and ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series will be announced in the next few days but the IPL-winning former KKR mentor’s priority for the next one year would be the two traditional formats — ODIs and Tests.

Major challenges ahead

Gambhir’s first big test would certainly be Australia, where India under Ravi Shastri’s tutelage had won back-to-back Test series in 2018-19 and 2020-21.

After 33 years (since 1991-92), India and Australia will be engaged in a five-Test series with the opening Test starting on one of the bounciest tracks — the Optus Stadium in Perth.

While Gambhir had spent enormous amount of time strategising for Delhi as its captain between 2013-17 in the Ranji Trophy, his standing as a red-ball coach will hinge a lot on a series, which will also prove to be decisive as far as India’s qualification for the World Test Championship is concerned.

In between, there would be the Champions Trophy in Pakistan but the BCCI is yet to give its go-ahead to the schedule.

Gambhir, who has always spoken about the sacrifices of the Indian Army, has been dead against playing any cricket in Pakistan.

Now on BCCI payrolls once again, it will be interesting to see what would be his stand about playing there when a major ICC title is at stake, should the tournament go ahead as planned. 

The ‘gentleman’ Rahul Dravid has given another fine example of his character, deciding to let go of half of the INR 5 crore prize money that he was to get from the pool of Rs. 125 crore that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced for the T20 World Cup-winning Indian team. After Rohit Sharma‘s men beat South Africa in the final to clinch the title, the BCCI announced that a total of Rs. 125 crore will be given to the team, coaching staff, and support staff as a cash reward. The cut for head coach Rahul Dravid came out to be INR 5 crore while the other coaches in the team were to be given Rs. 2.5 crore.

As per a Hindustan Times report, Dravid asked the board to reduce his cash reward to Rs. 2.5 crore too as he didn’t want to get more money in comparison to the batting, bowling, and fielding coaches.

“Rahul wanted the same bonus money (Rs. 2.5 crore) as the rest of his support staff (bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, fielding coach T Dilip and batting coach Vikram Rathore). We respect his sentiments,” a BCCI source said, as per the report.

I am pleased to announce prize money of INR 125 Crores for Team India for winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The team has showcased exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and support… pic.twitter.com/KINRLSexsD

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) June 30, 2024

What’s to be noted is that Dravid had taken a similar stance as the head coach of India’s winning U-19 World Cup team of 2018. At that time, Dravid was to get INR 50 lakh while the other members of the support staff were to get Rs. 20 lakh each. The players were to earn Rs. 30 lakh each, as per the formula. Dravid refused such a bifurcation, forcing the BCCI to change the distribution percentage and reward everyone equally.

The board then issued a revised list of cash awards that saw every member of the support staff earn INR 25 lakh, including Dravid.

Time and again, Dravid has drawn plaudits for his selfless style. Even as a batter during his active playing days, he put the interests of the team first. As a coach, Dravid continues to bat for the people he work with. 

Rahul Dravid received a guard of honour in a local cricket academy in Bengaluru© Instagram

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has sent a farewell message to former India Head Coach Rahul Dravid, thanking the former India captain for a highly successful tenure with the Men in Blue, which included guiding the Rohit Sharma-led team to victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados. Soon after thanking Dravid for his successful stint, Shah announced that Gautam Gambhir had been appointed the new head coach of the Indian cricket team. Before the appointment of the future coach, Shah took the time to acknowledge the past and thanked the outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid via a message posted from his account. “I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Mr. Rahul Dravid whose highly successful tenure as the Head Coach draws to a close. Under his guidance, #TeamIndia emerged as a dominant force across formats, including being crowned ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions,” read the post by Jay Shah on X, formerly Twitter.

I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Mr Rahul Dravid whose highly successful tenure as the Head Coach draws to a close. Under his guidance, #TeamIndia emerged as a dominant force across formats, including being crowned ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions!

His strategic… pic.twitter.com/PdfCB0elmb

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) July 9, 2024

The former India skipper has been at the helm of the ‘Men in Blue’ for three years and led the team to the T20 World Cup, Asia Cup, the finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup, and the World Test Championship 2023.

“His strategic acumen, persistent efforts to nurture talent, and exemplary leadership have instilled a culture of excellence within the team and that is also the legacy he leaves behind. The Indian dressing room today is one cohesive unit standing together through challenges while reveling in each other’s success,” further added the secretary of the BCCI.

Shortly after posting the farewell message for ‘The Wall,’ Shah went on to confirm after weeks of speculation that Gautam Gambhir will be the new head coach.

“It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr @GautamGambhir as the new Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close. Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian Cricket forward,” said the announcement on X.

Gautam Gambhir was named the new Indian cricket team head coach after Rahul Dravid‘s tenure came to an end following the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. Gambhir, who was the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024, is all set to take charge of the team during the upcoming ODI and T20Is series in Sri Lanka. Along with his appointment, BCCI made it clear that a new support staff will also be announced in the near future. In the official release, BCCI thanked batting coach Vikram Rathour, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and fielding coach T. DIlip for their services and wished them luck for the future.

“The Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Mr Ashok Malhotra, Mr Jatin Paranjpe and Ms Sulakshana Naik on Tuesday unanimously recommended Mr Gautam Gambhir as the Head Coach of Team India (Senior Men). The former India batter will take charge from the upcoming away series against Sri Lanka where Team India are set to play 3 ODIs & 3 T20Is starting July 27, 2024.” 

“The BCCI had invited applications for the said position on May 13th to appoint Mr Rahul Dravid’s successor, whose term got over after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024.”

“The Board would like to take this opportunity to express its heartfelt gratitude to Mr Dravid for his outstanding service as Head Coach. Dravid’s tenure was marked by significant achievements; the most noteworthy being crowned champions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024. Team India also finished as runners-up in the ICC 50-over World Cup, 2023 hosted in India & the ICC World Test Championship in 2023 hosted in England.”

“Apart from the team’s dominance in bilateral series at home, Dravid’s dedication to nurturing young talent and instilling discipline and sportsmanship in the team has been exemplary.”

“The Board also congratulates Mr Paras Mhambrey (Bowling Coach), Mr T. Dilip (Fielding Coach) and Mr Vikram Rathour (Batting Coach) on a highly successful tenure. The BCCI values their contribution and wishes them the best going forward.”

“The BCCI welcomes Gautam Gambhir in his role with Team India. The former Indian opener brings with him a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the game. Known for his exceptional batting prowess and strategic acumen, Gambhir has been a pivotal figure in Indian cricket.”

“His remarkable contributions to the Indian team that include crucial performances in the 2007 ICC World T20 and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, have cemented his legacy as one of the sport’s greats. Gambhir also led his IPL franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to two title victories in 2012 and 2014. In his role as mentor with KKR in 2024, Gambhir helped the team secure its third IPL title.”

“In his new role as Head Coach of Team India, Gambhir will be responsible for overseeing the development and performance of the Indian cricket team. His focus will be on developing a culture of excellence, discipline, and teamwork, while also nurturing young talent and preparing the team for future challenges on the global stage,” the official press release from BCCI stated.

File photo of Gautam Gambhir© AFP

File photo of Indian cricket team coach Gautam Gambhir© AFP