Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian national cricket team by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, succeeding Rahul Dravid.
The announcement was made on Tuesday following India’s recent T20 World Cup victory. “It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr. Gautam Gambhir as the new Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team,” stated Jay Shah, BCCI’s secretary.
Gambhir, 42, steps into the role with an illustrious career, having amassed over 10,000 international runs since his ODI debut in 2003. His appointment follows Dravid’s successful tenure, culminating in a T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados last month.
“Gautam has witnessed the rapid evolution of modern-day cricket and brings invaluable experience and insight,” Shah noted, highlighting Gambhir’s deep understanding of contemporary cricket dynamics.
Known for his pivotal role in India’s 2011 ODI World Cup win and his recent coaching success with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, Gambhir’s appointment underscores his coaching credentials. Shah expressed confidence in Gambhir’s ability to lead Indian cricket forward, saying, “Having excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to propel Indian cricket.”
Gambhir, who recently left politics to return to cricket coaching, assumes his new role amid high expectations following India’s fourth World Cup title and first major victory since the 2013 Champions Trophy. His first assignment as head coach will be the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in late July.
Furthermore, with the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from T20 cricket post their thrilling World Cup final win over South Africa on June 29, the Indian team is also searching for a new T20 captain.
