Gautam Gambhir has reportedly been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team, taking over the reins from Rahul Dravid following the overall triumph of India in the T20 World Cup 2024. Gambhir comes with a lot of experience and success earned from his time in the Indian Premier League, where he is known for his passionate and disciplinarian approach to coaching. He was the mentor of the Lucknow Super Kings during 2022 and 2023 before coming on board with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 with whom he has won an IPL title.
Lucknow Super Kings responded with a spoof video of Gambhir’s first practice session as head coach of the Indian cricket team, with special appearances by fast bowler Mohsin Khan. The video contained earlier footage from his time with the franchise but brought excitement and a lot of support upon pointing out Gambhir’s new role. The Indian cricket fraternity has responded enthusiastically to Gambhir’s appointment, sure that he will make the country proud.
Kursi ki peti bandhne ka waqt aa gaya hai 🚨😂 pic.twitter.com/e1RkagVWx0
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) July 10, 2024
Less than two weeks after Rahul Dravid’s tenure ended on a high note with India securing their first global title in 11 years, Gambhir’s appointment was viewed by many as a natural progression. The Board of Control for Cricket in India had contacted Gambhir after he recently found success with KKR, he having a decade later led the side to an IPL title after first succeeding with them in 2012 and then again in 2014.
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The appointment of Gambhir had been preceded by National Cricket Academy chief VVS Laxman showing his reluctance to take up the position. This thus formalized Gambhir’s role, further accentuated by an AI-generated image shared by his IPL franchise, in which Gambhir is sitting in a BCCI suit and looking at a KKR jersey and the IPL trophy, with photos of their past victories in 2012 and 2014 adorning the wall.
It was flashed on TV news when he stood next to a packed suitcase, with Team India jerseys hanging in the wardrobe. “There is no bigger honour than coaching your national team,” KKR captioned the photo with an old quote from Gambhir. Team CEO Venky Mysore re-posted it with the message, “Very proud of you Gambhir. No doubt you will make India proud.”
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Gambhir’s head coach tenure will now begin with a white-ball series in Sri Lanka, where India will play three ODIs and as many T20Is from July 27. RP Singh, the former India pacer, took to social media to congratulate Gambhir. “Few have seen the road from playing for India to coaching India. Yours has been a journey that I’ve had the privilege of seeing up close – all the hard yards that you’ve had to cross. So well deserved Gambhir. Make us proud, once again,” RP Singh wrote on Twitter.
With an excellent record as a cricket player and backing from the cricketing fraternity, Gambhir’s tenure at the helm as the head coach of the Indian cricket team is certainly being looked upon with a lot of expectations in order to keep raking in success and laurels for the country at an international level.
