Team India gets new head coach: Gautam Gambhir to succeed Rahul Dravid | News

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday appointed former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir as new head coach. He succeeds Rahul Dravid, whose three-year stint as the head coach of the Indian men’s team concluded with India’s victorious campaign in the T20 World Cup in June.

Dravid had taken over the reins of the Indian cricket team from Ravi Shastri in 2021. His tenure would have ended after the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, but  Dravid’s term was extended till ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the US and West Indies.

Gambhir’s coaching experience

Interestingly, Gambhir, who served as mentor for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2022 and 2023, has never coached a side at any level, whether in domestic cricket, or an Indian Premier League (IPL) side or a national team. The 42-year-old in 2024 moved back as mentor to Kolkata Knight Riders, for which he had earlier won two IPL trophies, on special request from co-owner Shah Rukh Khan. 

After returning to KKR, Gambhir delivered instantly as the Kolkata-based IPL franchise went on to win the IPL 2024 cup, playing aggressive cricket.

Despite not having a coaching role, Gambhir was always at the centre of attraction with his aggressive approach from the sidelines of the game.

He was also involved in the infamous altercation between Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq during RCB vs LSG match during IPL 2023. 

Gautam Gambhir stats as a player

Full list of India head coaches over the years

First Published: Jul 09 2024 | 8:21 PM IST