Gautam Gambhir has dropped the biggest hint yet that he could replace Rahul Dravid as the next head coach of Team India. Dravid would step down from the position after the conclusion of the ongoing T20 World Cup this month.
Last month, the BCCI had invited applications and the deadline to submit the form was May 27. While there is very little clarity on who will become India’s next head coach, several media reports have claimed that Gautam Gambhir is the favorite for the top flight. -job profile. According to Cricbuzz, Gautam Gambhir and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah have already had a conversation regarding the coach’s position.
The same media outlet also reported that a very high-profile owner of an IPL franchise has claimed that the former India opener’s appointment as head coach is a done deal and the announcement will come soon. Another high-profile commentator also confirmed the same, stating that the BCCI wants to nab the former batsman.
I would love to coach the Indian: Gautam Gambhir
The BCCI, however, is yet to make a public announcement and many believe that the reason behind this is that both sides are still negotiating on multiple fronts. The job of India coach is definitely one of the most sought-after positions in the game, but it comes with a number of challenges.
One of the main challenges is the hectic schedule. The job requires about 10 months of travel, which will definitely be a big challenge for someone like Gautam Gambhir, who has a young family. However, the World Cup winning cricketer has cleared the way for the BCCI to give him the job. At a recent event, Gambhir stated that he would love to become the head coach of the Indian team.
“I would love to coach the Indian team. There is no greater honor than coaching your national team. You also represent 140 crore Indians and more around the world and when you represent India, how can it be bigger than that?
“It is not me who will help India win the World Cup, it is 140 crore Indians who will help India win the World Cup. If everyone starts praying for us and we start playing and representing them, India will win the World Cup. The most important thing is not to be afraid,” Gambhir said when a student asked him if he wanted to coach the Indian cricket team, as quoted by ANI.
#LOOK | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: “…I would love to coach the Indian team. There is no greater honor than coaching your national team. You also represent 140 crore Indians and more across the world and when you represent India, how can it be bigger than that? It’s not me… pic.twitter.com/vWHJSXLyY0
– ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2024
As of now, Gambhir is the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders and will have to give up the position if he accepts the BCCI offer. Gambhir is yet to coach a national or state team but has made a huge impact in the IPL as a mentor. After guiding Lucknow Super Giants to the playoffs in the last two years, he guided KKR to their third title and first since 2014.