Team India, set to enter a transition phase in the next three years, will do so under their youngest-ever Indian coach — 42-year-old Gautam Gambhir.
More than a month after guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed the former India opener as their new head coach on Tuesday. Gambhir’s three-and-a-half year tenure will begin with the limited-overs tour to Sri Lanka, which begins on July 27.
Gambhir’s appointment has largely come along expected lines after it became clear that the top brass of the BCCI were keen on him taking charge of the national side on the back of his stellar campaign with KKR. Apart from Gambhir, former India opener WV Raman was the lone candidate in the fray. And after the Cricket Advisory Committee interviewed the two, the BCCI on Tuesday revealed that Gambhir has been picked as the unanimous choice to replace Rahul Dravid, whose tenure ended with India’s T20 World Cup triumph.
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
“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 –VVS Laxman, the support staff, and, most importantly, the players, as we work towards achieving success in the upcoming tournaments,” Gambhir said.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced Gambhir’s official announcement on X. “Gambhir has been a fierce competitor and a brilliant strategist. We believe he will bring the same tenacity and leadership to his role as Head Coach. His transition to the role of Head Coach is a natural progression, and I believe he will bring out the best in our players. I am confident that he will inspire and lead the team to new heights. His vision for the future of Indian cricket aligns perfectly with our goals, and we are excited about the journey ahead,” Shah said in a statement.
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
Unlike his predecessors, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid, Gambhir is still in his early days of coaching. However, what should give him confidence is how well he managed to put together a title-winning squad at KKR in his first year as mentor.
After pressing the transition button in Tests earlier this year and with the retirement of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in T20Is, Gambhir will have a new-look team to work with in the shortest format. And going forward, India are set to come up with a comprehensive plan to handle the transition in Tests and ODIs as well as the core group are 35 years or older.
And with more and more youngsters set to come in across all formats, Gambhir’s tactical acumen is something India are banking on. Right through KKR’s title-winning campaign, what stood out about the team was how prepared they were even in a format where the margin for error is minimal.
Those who worked with him at KKR say his man-management skills are second to none, which should come in handy when he is incharge of the national side.
🚨 NEWS 🚨
Mr Gautam Gambhir appointed as Head Coach – Team India (Senior Men).
Mr Gambhir will take charge from the upcoming away series against Sri Lanka where Team India are set to play 3 ODIs & 3 T20Is starting July 27, 2024.
All The Details 🔽 #TeamIndia | @GautamGambhir
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 9, 2024
And even on the tactical front, Gambhir is known to make bold decisions.
Before Rohit Sharma challenged MS Dhoni in the IPL, it was Gambhir who led the way, winning two titles as captain with KKR in 2012 and 2014.
As for his coaching method, there are enough indications that Gambhir will be more in the mould of Shastri, who wanted the team to play high-intensity cricket. Right from his playing days, Gambhir is known to be a fierce competitor, who has rarely sported a smile in the middle. It has remained a much-discussed topic, even prompting India all-rounder R Ashwin to bring it up during a YouTube interaction with Gambhir during this IPL.
“Sometimes when people talk about… ‘he doesn’t smile’,” Gambhir began. “He doesn’t love. He’s always intense. He’s always grumpy. He’s always walking on the edge. He’s old. He always has his game face on. People don’t come to watch me smile. Unfortunately, people come to watch me win. That’s the kind of profession we guys are in. I can’t help it,” Gambhir said.
There are admirers of Gambhir’s style of functioning. “Once the game or the training ends, he has seldom interfered in what the player does. He gave the players freedom. Moreover, he is someone who will give players enough backing and confidence. At the top-level, it is all about how you manage the players,” is how someone who worked with Gambhir at KKR said.
It is something Ashwin echoed recently at his book launch in Chennai. “Gambhir is a very misunderstood person. It’s all about perception. He is a fighter. The biggest issue with many of us is that we give hero status to someone in our mind and forget about everyone else. This is a sport, not a movie narrative. There are no heroes and villains. Gambhir is a competitor. His desire and hunger to win is unbelievable. I have massive respect for him,” Ashwin said.
For now, Gambhir’s immediate focus will be to win over the dressing room. Doing that will be half the battle won.
