Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian national cricket team, succeeding Rahul Dravid. Along with Dravid's departure, the existing support staff, including Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), T. Dilip (fielding coach), and Vikram Rathour (batting coach), will also be vacating their positions. This change marks the beginning of a new era for the Indian team, with Gambhir expected to bring in his own support staff.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced this transition on July 9, expressing gratitude to Dravid and his team for their successful tenure. Under Dravid's guidance, India achieved significant milestones, including winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, finishing as runners-up in the ICC 50-over World Cup 2023, and reaching the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023.
The Cricket Advisory Committee, consisting of Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe, and Sulakshana Naik, unanimously recommended Gambhir for the head coach position. Gambhir, who previously mentored the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title, is anticipated to bring fresh energy and perspective to the team.
In his statement, Gambhir expressed his honour and excitement at taking on the role, emphasising his pride in representing India and his commitment to working closely with the BCCI, Head of Cricket VVS Laxman, the new support staff, and the players to achieve success in upcoming tournaments. He acknowledged the exemplary contributions of Rahul Dravid and his support staff, and looked forward to building on their legacy.
Gambhir's tenure will begin with India's limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka later this month, where he will start implementing his strategies and working with the team to continue India's dominance in international cricket.