Visakhapatnam
The BCCI had set May 27 as the deadline for applications for the position and held informal discussions with Gambhir during the IPL 2024, where he played a key role in guiding the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third title as a mentor after rejoining the franchise in November 2023.
Gambhir’s coaching experience includes a previous stint as a mentor with the Lucknow Super Giants during the 2022 and 2023 IPL seasons, where he helped the team reach the playoffs on both occasions.
Addressing the prospect of helping India win a World Cup, Gambhir emphasized the collective effort of the entire nation, stating, “It is not me but the 140 crore Indians that will help India win the World Cup. If everyone starts praying for us, and we play fearlessly, India will emerge victorious.”
Gambhir emerged as the frontrunner for the role after VVS Laxman, his former India teammate, declined interest in the head coach position and currently serves as the director of cricket at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
Following Ravi Shastri’s departure after the T20 World Cup in 2021, Dravid took over as head coach initially for a two-year term until the 2023 ODI World Cup, which was later extended at the BCCI’s request for the ongoing T20 World Cup.
