Gautam Gambhir is reportedly the front-runner for the Indian head coach role after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that they had not approached any former Australian cricketer for the role.
Rahul Dravid's tenure will conclude following the 2024 T20 World Cup. The India great did not intend to reapply for the position, placing the BCCI in an awkward situation with no formal confirmation of who has applied for the high-profile job. The deadline for submitting names for India's head coach position is May 27.
Gambhir is the most likely candidate for the head coach position, as there are few options. Furthermore, he is the only likely Indian contender whose name is being circulated. Not to forget, Shah recently stated that the board would prefer an Indian name as the head coach over a foreign choice.
Gambhir has been stellar in his roles in IPL, as under his mentorship, Lucknow Super Giants made it into the playoffs in IPL 2022 and 2023. And now under his guidance, Kolkata Knight Riders have qualified for the IPL 2024 final.
Meanwhile, Dainik Jagran reported that Gambhir was contacted by the BCCI regarding applying for the head coach role and the 2011 ODI World Cup winner has shown a keen interest. He is expected to meet BCCI's top heads in Chennai on the sidelines of the IPL 2024 final between KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
While the report confirmed that Gambhir has not yet submitted his application for the role, once he does, he will be officially announced as Dravid's successor.
However, the same report has also revealed that Gambhir needs to have a word with KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan before applying for the India head coach role. The report mentioned that the Bollywood superstar told Gambhir to manage the team for 10 years while handing him a blank cheque saying that he is willing to pay whatever amount he demands.
It remains to be seen whether Gambhir chooses the huge blank cheque amount to stay with KKR or take up the time-consuming and pressure-filled job of coaching the Indian team.
