Gautam Gambhir Appointed As Team India’s New Head Coach, Succeeding Rahul Dravid

Gautam Gambhir has officially replaced Rahul Dravid as India’s head coach, taking the reins on Tuesday. Dravid’s tenure concluded triumphantly with India’s victory in the T20 World Cup 2024, his final assignment with the team. Leading up to the World Cup, Dravid had already announced that he would not seek an extension post-tournament.

Last month, former India openers Gambhir and WV Raman were interviewed by BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) for the head coach position. Emerging as the favorite for the role, World Cup winner Gambhir recently bid farewell to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where he masterminded their third IPL title in the 2024 edition.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed Gambhir’s appointment as the head coach with a special note on X (formerly known as Twitter). Shah expressed confidence in Gambhir’s ability to lead Indian cricket forward, stating, “It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr @GautamGambhir as the new Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close.”

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“Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian Cricket forward. His clear vision for #TeamIndia, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role. The @BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey,” Shah added.

Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach will be the white-ball series against Sri Lanka this month. BCCI secretary Shah had earlier confirmed the change, stating, “Both coach and selector appointments will be made shortly. CAC has interviewed and shortlisted two names and after reaching Mumbai whatever they have decided we will go by that. VVS Laxman is going to Zimbabwe but new coach will join from Sri Lanka series.”