Gambhir will be taking over the responsibilities from Rahul Dravid, whose stint ended after India's win in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2024.
After much anticipation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that former India opener Gautam Gambhir will be the next India head coach.
Gambhir will be taking over the responsibilities from Rahul Dravid, whose stint ended after India’s win in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2024.
Although this is Gambhir’s first-ever national assignment, Gambhir will be coming on the back of some serious confidence after helping Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title earlier this year.
Jay Shah took to his handle on X (formerly Twitter) to announce the news.
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
Speaking on the development, BCCI President Roger Binny said, “The Board would like to thank former Head Coach, Mr Rahul Dravid for his brilliant run with the team. Team India now embarks on a journey under a new coach – Mr Gautam Gambhir. His appointment as Head Coach marks a new chapter for Indian cricket. His experience, dedication, and vision for the game make him the ideal candidate to guide our team forward. We are confident that under his leadership, Team India will continue to excel and make the nation proud.”
Gambhir also responded to his hiring and was quoted as saying, “It is an absolute honour to serve my tricolour, my people, my country. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Rahul Dravid and his team of support staff for their exemplary run with the team. I am honoured and excited to take on the role of Head Coach for Team India.”
He added, “I have always taken pride while donning the Indian jersey during my playing days and it is going to be no different when I take up this new role. Cricket has been my passion and I look forward to working closely with the BCCI, Head of Cricket – Mr VVS Laxman, the support staff, and, most importantly, the players, as we work towards achieving success in the upcoming tournaments.”
According to reports, Gautam Gambhir is expected to take charge of the Indian team when they travel to Sri Lanka later this month for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is.
The Indian team has a packed schedule ahead as Bangladesh will visit India next after the culmination of the Sri Lanka tour, in mid-September for two Tests and three T20Is.
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Following that, the Men in Blue will welcome New Zealand for a home series comprising three Test matches from October 16 to November 5 before travelling to South Africa to compete in four T20I matches from November 8 to 15 and then head to Australia for a five-match Test series towards the end of the year in November.
However, Gambhir’s biggest assignment will be next year with the Champions Trophy and World Test Championship Final slated in the pipeline.
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