The BCCI said in a statement regarding the application for Team India’s head coach position that applications must be submitted by 6 pm IST on May 27, 2024. Many high-profile names are still doing the rounds, including Gautam Gambhir – mentor of the newly minted IPL 2024 champions Kolkata Knight Riders – who is leading the race, presumably, to take over the reins from Rahul Dravid.
As soon as the BCCI posted the job description on their website, many former cricketers seemed to be in the fray, most notably Former Australian skipper and current Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting, former Australia coach and current Lucknow Super Giants coach Justin Langer, former England coach and current RCB coach Andy Flower, current Rajasthan Royals’ coach Kumar Sangakkara and of course, Gambhir himself.
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BCCI Not Interested in a Foreign Coach
But gradually, all these big-ticket names fell off the grid. While Langer and Flower made it clear that they were not interested in the job, citing various reasons – Langer took the advice of LSG skipper KL Rahul about the pressure and politics that came with the job and opted out. At the same time, Flower said his focus remained with the RCB. The same was the case with Sangakkara.
Ponting mentioned he had unofficial one-on-one interactions regarding it during the IPL. Still, a press release from BCCI secretary Jay Shah stating that BCCI has not approached any ‘former Australian cricketer’ for the job dispelled any notion of Ponting being in the race.
The release also further clarified that BCCI is looking for someone who understands the Indian domestic structure very well, thus, in a way, ruling out the appointment of a foreign coach. That invariably cuts down the list to just one person ideal for the job—Gautam Gambhir. That he mentored KKR to their first IPL title in a decade now adds more weight to GG’s claim to get the GG job in Indian cricket.
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Gautam Gambhir – the ideal choice
The big question is if Gambhir is approached or has applied for the job, will KKR management be willing to let go of their mentor? Like in the case of Langer – as he had mentioned in a podcast recently – he is assured of coming back as LSG coach next year, and with Flower, who is also deadest t come back as RCB coach after the team made it to the Playoffs of IPL 2024. The same goes for Sangakkara and the RR management.
The Indian coaching job is for three years, which could also be another deterrent to Gambhir taking up the job. He will have to let go of the KKR job, which, after the triumphant IPL, will be even more challenging for him to let go.
Will KKR let go off Gautam Gambhir
But eventually, it will be Gautam Gambhir’s call to take up the job. Yes, the pressure of handling Team India will be immense, but Gambhir is no stranger to pressure and seems the best candidate to wither the storm that may come his way.
Also, consider this fact: India has been trying to transition, and even though that term has been used quite loosely for some time now, Gambhir is the right guy to bring in the transition, end this transition phase once and for all, and bring about a new era of Indian cricket.
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