The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) invited fresh applications for the post of head coach for the senior Indian men's team last week.
Rahul Dravid is currently serving as the chief coach and his term expires after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA next month.
With multiple reports suggesting that Dravid is unlikely to re-apply, it seems likely that the Indian team will have a new coach at the helm post the T20 World Cup 2024.
The BCCI, in its statement, mentioned that the tenure of the next coach will be over 3.5 years - July 1, 2024 to December 31, 2027. The deadline to submit an application is on May 27.
Meanwhile, a report published in TOI claims that has kept its options open even as the deadline for the applications is less than a week away.
According to the report, the BCCI has shown interest in Gautam Gambhir (mentor of KKR), Stephen Fleming (coach of CSK), Justin Langer (coach of LSG) and Mahela Jayawardene (global performance head of MI) for the high-profile role.
The BCCI faces challenges in selecting the coach due to competition from the IPL. The India head coach role demands a significant commitment, involving 10 months of travel annually. Therefore, it is difficult to attract potential candidates they already have lucrative jobs with IPL teams.
The report further stated that Gambhir is currently the front-runner on the BCCI's list.
"There has been no formal communication with the potential candidates. All these coaches are biding their time and weighing options. But it seems Gambhir's stocks have risen. It is likely that the board officials will speak with Gambhir in Ahmedabad where he is with KKR for the IPL playoffs," TOI quoted a BCCI source as saying.
While Gautam Gambhir’s CV doesn’t include the international coaching experience, he has proven his credentials as a mentor. The 42-year-old guided Lucknow Super Giants to the playoffs in the 2022 and 2023 editions of IPL. He is mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing IPL, where his team has reached the final.
The report also mentioned that Gambhir and senior Indian players share a healthy rapport off the field, despite rumors of friction.
"If people are talking about Gambhir's friction with Virat Kohli, it can be confirmed that the two have always got along well off the field. Even after the bust-up during an IPL match last year, the two were made to sit down and sort out any issue if they indeed had one," the source added.
In the last 10 years, the Indian players have worked with Indian coaches only. Legendary Anil Kumble had a one-year tenure with the national team, followed by Ravi Shastri’s multiple stints. Rahul Dravid was appointed in 2021 after Shastri’s term came to an end.
(With TOI Inputs)
