Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has hinted at replacing Rahul Dravid as the men’s team head coach after the 2024 T20 World Cup. Speaking at a recent event, Gambhir said he would “love to coach” the Indian side and called it the biggest honour that anyone can possibly have.
Gambhir’s name has been floating around for a long time, especially after he guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a third Indian Premier league (IPL) title, last month.
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“I would love to coach the Indian team. There’s no bigger honour than coaching your national team. You are representing 140 crore Indians and more across the globe as well and when you represent India, how can it get bigger than that?” Gambhir was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
“It is not me that will help India win the World Cup, it is 140 crore Indians who will help India win the World Cup. If everyone starts praying for us and we start playing and representing them, India will win the World Cup,” the batter added.
According to reports, BCCI secretary Jay Shah has already held a meeting to discuss the job with Gambhir who remains keen to get on board.
Shah and Gambhir share the belief that the former Indian batter should take up the job to serve the country. ‘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 as Gambhir has always worn patriotism on his sleeve.
Both Gambhir and Shah were also seen involved in an animated discussion post KKR’s final victory on May 26. Reports added that Gambhir has already told those close to him, including KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan, that he is seriously considering the job offer.
Gambhir to take up the job?
BCCI started its hunt for the new coach on May 13 by opening up 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.
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