The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach of Team India. The former Indian opener is set to succeed Rahul Dravid, whose tenure concluded with a magnificent title win at the T20 World Cup, taking on one of the most prestigious roles in world cricket.
Gambhir boasts an impressive track record as a head coach. He guided the Lucknow Super Giants to two consecutive playoff positions before winning the coveted IPL trophy with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. Despite these achievements, Gambhir will be under no illusion that it will take extraordinary efforts to replicate Dravid’s successful tenure as the head coach of Team India.
Gautam Gambhir to replace Rahul Dravid
BCCI secretary Jay Shah made the big announcement via a post on X (formerly Twitter). He heaped praise on Gambhir’s remarkable career, both as a player and as a coach.
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 career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian Cricket forward,” Shah wrote on X.
“His clear vision for #TeamIndia, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role. The @BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey,” Shah added.
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
The Indian Cricket Team is currently on a T20I tour of Zimbabwe. The reigning T20 champions lost the first match before winning the subsequent encounter to level the series 1-1.
For Gambhir, the first assignment as the head coach of Team India will be the limited-over tour of Sri Lanka, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is matches, later in July.
After taking over the biggest job in World Cricket, the former India opener revealed his emotions via a post on X.
India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians and I will do everything in my power to make these dreams come true,” Gambhir posted on X.
India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians… pic.twitter.com/N5YyyrhXAI
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 9, 2024
