BCCI secretary Jay Shah has discussed the Indian men’s cricket team head coach job with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir, according to a report in Cricbuzz. The former Indian cricketer’s stock has risen in recent weeks after he guided KKR to a third title with the top BCCI official keen to bring him in as Rahul Dravid’s successor.
Shah and Gambhir share the belief that the former Indian batter should take up the job to serve the country, the report noted. ‘Desh ke liye karna hai’ [We must do it for the country] has been the catchphrase that has come out of their meeting which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone as Gambhir has always worn nationalism on his sleeve.
ALSO READ | There is a World Cup again after two years: Rinku Singh reveals chat with Rohit Sharma post T20 WC snub
Gambhir is known for his strict demeanour and has batted against the star culture prevalent in the current Indian cricketing setup.
Both Gambhir and Shah were also seen involved in an animated discussion post KKR’s final victory on Sunday (May 26). The report noted that Gambhir had already told those close to him, including KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan that he was seriously considering the job offer.
After KKR won the title, reports surfaced that the Bollywood star had offered a blank cheque to Gambhir in order to retain him for the franchise.
Gambhir to take up the job?
If Gambhir does take the Indian job, he would not be the first person from the KKR backroom staff to have been poached. Trevor Bayliss, who led KKR to victory in 2012 and 2014, was poached by England and Wales Cricket Board’s Director of Cricket Andrew Strauss at the time.
Similarly, Matthew Mott and Brendon McCullum were picked up by the ECB when they had successful stints with KKR.
BCCI started its hunt for the new coach on May 13 by opening the application process. The job description stated that the candidate should be below 60 years of age and must have played a minimum of 30 Tests or 50 ODIs. It added that the applicant should have performed a similar role as a full member of Test nation for a minimum of two years.
“The selection process will include a thorough review of applications, followed by personal interviews and assessments of shortlisted candidates.”
Gambhir ticks all the boxes and could be the one who ultimately takes up the job. The only hindrance could be Gambhir’s young family as the job would require him to be on the road for nearly 10 months in a year, up until 2027.
You can now write for Baazigarnews.com and be a part of the Baazigar family. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
