Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir, who is one of the unsung heroes of the 2007 and 2011 World Cup victories, is all set to replace Rahul Dravid as the coach of the Indian cricket team after the conclusion of the ongoing T20 World Cup trophy in the West Indies and the USA. As Dravid’s tenure as coach is going to end shortly, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI), the apex cricket body, called for applications for the position of head coach a few months ago.
Though the names of several international players made the rounds in the media to helm this post, it was Gautam Gambhir who finally made the cut. Reports suggest that BCCI has approached Gambhir to lead Team India for the next couple of years, as Dravid expressed his inability to extend his tenure. Gambhir accepted BCCI’s proposal but laid down several conditions to stake a claim for the post.
As per reliable sources, Gambhir made a demand that he be given the freedom to select the support staff for the coach during his term. The BCCI has reportedly agreed to this condition, and an announcement about the coach is likely very soon. After the current T20 World Cup concludes, an official statement about the new coach is going to be made.
At present, former batsman Vikram Rathore is the batting coach, and Paras Mhambrey is the bowling coach. T. Dilip is working as a fielding coach. Gambhir is likely to replace all these subordinates immediately after taking charge. He may also opt for big changes to the squad based on his performance in the ongoing World Cup.
The former Delhi batsman served as a mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants before moving to the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023. He was instrumental in KKR’s IPL championship this year. He played for both Delhi Daredevils and KKR in his IPL career and also captained both teams.