Jay Shah opened up on the decision to appoint Gautam Gambhir as the all-format coach.© AFP
Gautam Gambhir started his tenure as head coach of the Indian team on their tour to Sri Lanka last month. The team had a mixed performance, winning the T20I series but losing the ODIs despite the presence of top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gambhir was appointed as the national team’s head coach on July 9, 2024, replacing Rahul Dravid. Reports had suggested a possible hybrid coaching model with different coaches for different formats, but the BCCI decided to stick with Gambhir for all formats.
In a recent conversation, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah explained the decision to appoint Gambhir as the all-format coach, stating, “We have to listen to the coach we recruit. Once we have selected Gautam Gambhir and if he is interested to coach in all three formats, who am I to say ‘you can’t coach a particular format’. More or less 70 per cent players are the same in all three formats,” as reported by Times of India.
Shah also mentioned the availability of backup coaches from the NCA, emphasizing the support system for the head coach role. Gambhir’s first Test series as head coach will be against Bangladesh next month. Key players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah will not participate in the Duleep Trophy, with selectors keeping an eye on players for the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy.
@Cricbun
