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The Board of Control for Cricket in India has finally appointed Gautam Gambhir as Team India head coach for all formats to replace Rahul Dravid. BCCI also announced Gambhir’s appointment as the head coach for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka this month. For the post of head coach, BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) members—Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape, and Sulakshana Naik—unanimously recommended Gambhir’s name. He appeared in person for the interview, the only candidate to do so apart from former India batter WV Raman. He is now 42, and being the youngest ever to be given the mantle to be head coach of India.
A source hinted that the BCCI did not consult the star batter, Virat Kohli, first before Gambhir’s appointment was made public. There is no hiding of the fact that Kohli shares a not-so-amicable on-field relationship with Gambhir. Both were involved in an ugly spat during an IPL 2023 match in Lucknow. While the two did embrace each other many a time during IPL 2024, the BCCI didn’t ask for Kohli’s opinion as he is no more part of the T20I set-up.
Both Kohli and India captain Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20Is after the T20 World Cup.
There is a rumour that star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is leading the race to become India’s next T20I captain, was in the loop of things from the BCCI in regard to Gambhir’s appointment.
However, it will be interesting to see the kind of relationship India captain Rohit Sharma shares with Gambhir, especially since the star batter confronted that he wanted Dravid to continue as head coach.
Reports have also suggested that both Rohit and Kohli have taken long breaks from BCCI, with the duo set to miss Gambhir’s debut series as head coach against Sri Lanka.
India will play three T20Is and as many ODIs against Sri Lanka, starting from July 28.
