Gautam Gambhir to become India head coach after T20 World Cup; to pick his own support staff- Report
Gautam Gambhir is set to become India’s head coach at the end of June 2024, following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup. Under Rahul Dravid’s guidance, India has qualified for the Super 8s in the tournament.
Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach will conclude after the T20 World Cup 2024. Dravid, who succeeded Ravi Shastri after the 2021 T20 World Cup, has had a successful stint, leading India to the finals of both the 2023 World Test Championship and the 2023 World Cup, and to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2022.
Dravid declined the BCCI’s offer for a second term, preferring to spend more time with his family. The new coach’s tenure will extend to three years, culminating with the ICC World Cup 2027 in South Africa.
Gambhir, while lacking full-time coaching experience, has served as an IPL mentor for three years. He played a significant role with the Lucknow Super Giants from 2022 to 2023, leading them to consecutive playoff appearances. His reputation was further enhanced by guiding KKR to their 10th IPL title in 2024, making him a prime candidate for the head coach position. Gambhir will be the sixth World Cup winner to coach the Indian men’s cricket team.
Several former greats, including Ricky Ponting, Stephen Fleming, Mahela Jayawardene, and Justin Langer, were considered for the role, but the BCCI preferred an Indian candidate.
According to a report in Dainik Jagran on Sunday (June 16), Gambhir’s appointment is nearly finalized, and he is expected to be announced as the next head coach by the end of June, following the T20 World Cup 2024.
Gambhir has indicated his desire to select his support staff. Currently, Vikram Rathour serves as the batting coach, Paras Mhambrey as the bowling coach, and T Dilip as the fielding coach. Notably, Rathour replaced Sanjay Bangar as batting coach when Shastri was head coach, and Mhambrey and Dilip were appointed at Dravid’s recommendation.
With Gambhir’s appointment, significant changes in the Indian team’s support staff are anticipated, potentially including the replacements of Rathour, Mhambrey, and Dilip.
