The BCCI on Tuesday named Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach of the men’s Indian cricket team.
The 42-year-old will take over from Rahul Dravid, who stepped down after India won the T20 World Cup.
Gambhir, who mentored the Kolkata Knight Riders to victory in IPL 2024 after returning to the franchise this year, will start his new job on the tour of Sri Lanka where the Men in Blue will play 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs from July 27 to August 7.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah posted on X: “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. 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,”
Earlier on Tuesday, Shah paid glowing tributes to Dravid, saying India has emerged as a “dominant force” across formats under the outgoing head coach’s tenure and that he left the dressing room a “cohesive unit”.
Under Dravid, India went on to win the T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbeans after 17 years, besides reaching the summit clash of the World Test Championships and the ODI World Cup final.
“I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Mr Rahul Dravid whose highly successful tenure as the Head Coach draws to a close. Under his guidance, #TeamIndia emerged as a dominant force across formats, including being crowned ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions!,” Shah wrote on ‘X’.
“His strategic acumen, persistent efforts to nurture talent and exemplary leadership has instilled a culture of excellence within the team and that is also the legacy he leaves behind. The Indian dressing room today is one cohesive unit standing together through challenges while revelling in each other’s success,” he added.
Dravid, whose coaching tenure started in late 2021, stepped down at the end of India’s title-winning T20 World Cup campaign last month.
India skipper Rohit Sharma also wrote an emotional thank you note to Dravid, expressing “gratitude” for his man-management skills and for leaving his baggage of stardom outside the dressing room.
It is being reported that Dravid has been approached by KKR to bring him on board as the direct replacement for Gambhir. Some of the other IPL franchises also have Dravid on their radars ahead of the 2025 season.
