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2011 ODI World Cup star Gautam Gambhir has been named the new head coach of the men’s Indian cricket team. On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah made this official announcement.
Gautam Gambhir will now replace Rahul Dravid as the new head coach of Team India. Rahul Dravid’s tenure ended on a high note, with India lifting the 2024 T20 World Cup title after 17 years. The T20 World Cup title finally ended the 13-year drought for an ICC trophy.
It was the best farewell for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and the head coach, Rahul Dravid. With the 2024 T20 World Cup title, India ended the 17-year wait for the T20 World Cup title, a 13-year wait for a World Cup title, and an 11-year wait for an ICC title. As a result, India erupted in celebration.
Here’s What Jay Shah Said About Gautam Gambhir
BCCI secretary Jay Shah wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam Gambhir has witnessed this changing landscape up close. Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gutam is the ideal person to steer Indian cricket forward.”
Besides Gambhir, the BCCI had also approached Australia’s Ricky Ponting for the post of head coach of Team India. However, Ponting refused the role because of the high commitment it requires. Besides being the new head coach of Team India, Gambhir is also the mentor of the IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders. He has also coached the IPL team, the Lucknow Super Giants.
Others Likely To Take Up Posts
After filling up the post of head coach, BCCI can approach others for the posts of bowling coach, coaching staff, assistant coach, and batting coach. The 2011 ODI World Cup winner, Zaheer Khan, is likely to be approached by the BCCI for the post of bowling coach. Even Lakshmipati Balaji is on the list, however, official confirmation is pending.
Abhishek Nair is likely to join the Indian cricket team under Gambgir’s coaching staff. However, his role is still unclear as of now. He might join the team as an assistant coach or batting coach. The appointments for various posts will also depend on Gambhir. For the post, Gambhir is likely to be paid 12 crore Indian rupees annually.
Assignments of Team India’s New Head Coach
Gautam Gambhir will begin his new position as head coach with the tour of Sri Lanka. His first series as head coach is a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. After the tour with Sri Lanka, he will coach Team India in a two-Test series at home against New Zealand and Bangladesh.
Gambhir’s first ICC event as India’s head coach will be the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The 2025 Champions Trophy will be in the One Day International (ODI) format. It will be challenging for Gambhir, as India has not won the title since 2013.
The World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 is a Test championship that India has never won. In the past, India came close two times to winning the trophy but lost both times in the finals of 2021 and 2023. As of now, India is leading the race to enter the finals of the WTC.
The 2026 T20 World Cup will be the only event in India during Gambhir’s coaching tenure. India will host the tournament with Sri Lanka. This will be the first major tournament without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gambhir would have to defend the title with the young team.
The 2027 ODI Cricket World Cup will be the center of focus for Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir will aim to bring the trophy back to India after 16 years. India had lost in the final of last year’s ODI World Cup. This event will determine how Gambhir’s tenure will be remembered.