Gautam Gambhir accepts India head coach role but issues non-negotiable demand to BCCI

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir is set to be unveiled as the new head coach of the Indian National Cricket Team after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024., as per reports.

Gautam Gambhir, who mentored the Kolkata Knight Riders towards their 3rd IPL title last month, is one of the candidates to be India's next coach. If the BCCI really appoints him at the end of the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, then it will be the first time that the 2011 World Cup winner will be coaching a team on a full-time basis. 

Before this, Gautam Gambhir has only mentored 2 IPL teams. He was a part of the Lucknow Super Giants management in 2022 and 2023 before joining the KKR dugout for the first time since 2018. Upon his return, Gambhir brought joy back to the Eden Gardens and the Kolkata supporters by helping the purple and gold army win the event after a decade-long wait. 

Gautam Gambhir's return to the franchise was a fairytale and it was also important for his own coaching aspirations. With Rahul Dravid stepping down at the end of this month, Gambhir's name started getting associated with the head coaching role. About his appointment, a BCCI source has revealed that Gambhir is nearing to take over the Indian team, reported Dainik Jagran. 

BCCI source claims Gautam Gambhir will be announced as head coach at the end of June 

Rahul Dravid and his entourage's tenure with the Indian team will finish as soon as the T20 World Cup is over. Regardless of whether India wins the competition or not, Dravid will not continue and the month of June is his last 30 days as India coach.

In the closing days of the month, a BCCI source has indicated that Gautam Gambhir will be officially announced as Dravid's successor. The same source has also claimed that the entire supporting staff of Dravid - Vikram Rathore, T. Dilip, and Pravin Mhambrey are going to leave the Indian team as well. 

Gautam Gambhir kept a demand to bring his own coaching staff with him and BCCI accepted it. His first assignment, if he wishes to, could be the away series in Zimbabwe that India will play right after the T20 World Cup's conclusion. 

The contract of the new head coach will be a 3-year deal which will run until December 2027 or the next ODI World Cup in Africa. 

Gambhir to join an elite list of players turned coaches 

If the reports are all but true, then Gautam Gambhir will join an elite list of players who have won the World Cup as players before becoming the head coach. The likes of Sandeep Patil, Madan Lal, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri have all coached the Men in Blue in different timelines after winning the 1983 CWC. 

But if Gautam Gambhir ends up winning the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, he will become the first to win the title both as a player and coach.