With Kolkata Knight Riders securing their third IPL title under the mentorship of Gautam Gambhir, the former India captain’s potential appointment as the next head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team is gaining traction. The application deadline for the position ended on Monday, and Gambhir’s name is prominently circulating in cricketing circles, particularly after […]
With Kolkata Knight Riders securing their third IPL title under the mentorship of Gautam Gambhir, the former India captain’s potential appointment as the next head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team is gaining traction. The application deadline for the position ended on Monday, and Gambhir’s name is prominently circulating in cricketing circles, particularly after his remarkable success in the latest IPL season.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah’s meeting with Gambhir following KKR’s title victory on Sunday has further fueled speculation about Gambhir’s potential appointment. A recent report from Cricbuzz indicates that Gambhir’s appointment is nearly confirmed, with negotiations progressing on various fronts.
“A very high-profile owner of an IPL franchise, who is very close to the BCCI top brass, said that Gambhir’s appointment is a done deal and the announcement will come soon. A high profile commentator, who is very clued to the happenings in the BCCI said efforts are being made to rope in Gambhir. The fact that an announcement has not yet come suggests that negotiations are underway on multiple fronts — between the two parties and, perhaps, with some others too,” the report said.
Jay Shah recently dismissed claims that the BCCI has approached any former Australian cricketer for the position of India’s next head coach, hinting that Rahul Dravid’s successor is likely to be an Indian by emphasizing the need for a ‘deep understanding’ of the game’s structure in the country.
While Dravid has reportedly informed the board that he is not interested in a third stint, former Australian players such as Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer have stated that they declined offers for the high-profile role.
“Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect,” Jay Shah said in a statement.
“The buzzword inside the coach selection circle is ‘desh ke liye karna hai’. Both the BCCI and Gambhir share the belief that ‘we must do it for the country.’ And the conversation between Jay Shah and Gambhir is understood to be centred around this idea,” the Cricbuzz report stated.
