Gautam Gambhir Becomes New Head Coach of Indian Cricket Team

Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, announced by BCCI secretary Jay Shah. Gambhir, a former left-handed opener for India, previously served as the mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, leading them to their third IPL title.

Andy Flower’s Praise

Andy Flower, the head coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and former Zimbabwe cricketer, welcomed Gambhir’s appointment. Flower said, “He is quite a man, Gautam Gambhir, I really enjoyed working with him. He has got strong opinions, he has got strong clear views on the game. He is very decisive, he is a very proud Indian, he loves Indian cricket and his position, representing Indian cricket. I think it is a good appointment and I think he is going to be successful.” Flower and Gambhir previously worked together in the IPL when Flower was the head coach of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) from 2022-23, and Gambhir served as a mentor.

Support from Abhinav Mukund

Former Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund, who played seven Tests for India, also supported Gambhir’s appointment. Mukund said, “He is very astute on the field we’ve seen him as a captain but now more as a coach brought the team to success after 10 years. I am sure he will be thinking I want to take this legacy forward. Won a world cup, let us win a lot more in the next two or three years.”

Rahul Dravid’s Tenure

Rahul Dravid’s tenure as the head coach of Team India ended after the final match of the T20 World Cup 2024, where India beat South Africa by seven runs to win the prestigious trophy after 17 years. In the final, Virat Kohli and Axar Patel’s partnership helped India reach a total of 176/7, and the team successfully defended the score to clinch their second T20 World Cup title.