The wait for the next head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team is almost over. Gautam Gambhir is likely to take over from Rahul Dravid. Gambhir’s name has been gaining attention in Indian cricket circles, especially after his successful role as a mentor for an IPL 2024 team. His performance has made him a strong candidate for the head coach position.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was also considering big names from Australia and other IPL coaches like Stephen Fleming and Andy Flower. However, Gambhir seems to be the top choice.
Gambhir’s name came up after his team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), performed very well in the IPL 2024. KKR finished as the No. 1 team in the league stage and then won the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad. After the final, Gambhir had a long chat with BCCI secretary Jay Shah, which led to more speculations.
According to India Today, Gambhir is set to replace Dravid as the head coach of Team India. Gambhir recently became KKR’s mentor after leaving his previous job with the Lucknow Super Giants, another IPL team.
Although Gambhir has never been a head coach for a national team or an IPL team, his success with KKR this year has impressed the BCCI. The BCCI invited applications for the head coach’s role by May 27 and received over 3000 forms, including some fake ones. The Cricket Advisory Committee will soon start interviewing the shortlisted candidates.
