The news that Indian cricket fans had been anticipating eagerly is finally here. BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced the Indian team's former opener and IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team.
Gambhir was long speculated to take over the reins from Rahul Dravid after the former Indian batter announced that he would be stepping down from the position following India’s T20 World Cup campaign.
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Dravid got the perfect send-off as the Men in Blue lifted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Barbados by defeating South Africa in the final.
Gambhir was the leading candidate for the head coach position and never shied away from expressing his enthusiasm to lead the national team. His IPL title victory with KKR as mentor further cemented his case. The other candidate in competition was WV Raman who coached the Indian Women’s cricket team previously, but the BCCI made the decision to go ahead with Gambhir.
Gambhir will be joining the Indian team ahead of their Sri Lanka tour in July end. The Men in Blue will be taking on the Lankan team in three ODIs and three T20Is.
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‘He’s got a clear vision’ - Jay Shah
Shah shared Gambhir’s announcement on his X account stating that the former Indian opener;s got a clear vision, coupled with his vast experience. Shah feels like Gambhir is the perfect coach to lead the Indian team forward.
His clear vision for team India, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role. The BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey.
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… pic.twitter.com/bvXyP47kqJ
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) July 9, 2024
Gautam Gambhir 'honoured' to be back with the Indian team
Gambhir shared his first thoughts on X after being appointed as the new head coach as he wrote,
India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians and I will do everything in my power to make these dreams come true!
India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians… pic.twitter.com/N5YyyrhXAI
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 9, 2024
Gambhir’s first major challenge with the Indian team will be coming in November as Rohit Sharma and Co travel to Australia to take on the current World Test Championship (WTC) holders for the Border-Gavaskar series.
Following the five-match series against the Aussies, India will compete in the ICC Champions trophy held in Pakistan in February 2025.
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